Woodland management across West Sussex

Woodland thinning

Thinning means removing some of the trees in a crowded wood so the ones left have room to grow. In an overcrowded wood the trees grow tall and spindly, the canopy closes over, and very little can grow on the woodland floor.

By opening up the canopy we let light reach the ground, which helps native flowers, shrubs and young trees to establish and gives wildlife more to live in. The remaining trees grow stronger and healthier too. We choose which trees to take out, usually the weakest, the poorly shaped, the diseased and the ones competing with a better neighbour, and we thin gradually rather than clearing heavily.

Ash dieback management and removal

Ash dieback is a fungal disease that has spread through ash trees across the UK, including woods throughout West Sussex. Affected trees show thinning crowns, dead twigs and branches, early leaf loss and dark patches or lesions on the bark.

The disease weakens the tree, and the wood can become brittle, so branches and whole trees can fail with little warning. That matters most next to roads, footpaths, buildings, fences and gardens, and as the landowner you are responsible for trees that could harm people or property.

We inspect ash trees on your land and advise which ones need to come down now, which can be reduced or kept an eye on, and which are showing some tolerance and are worth keeping. Where felling is needed, we assess each tree carefully and choose the safest way to take it down. We can also talk through replanting with suitable native species. Read our full guide to ash dieback in West Sussex.

Coppicing

Coppicing is the traditional way of managing woodland by cutting broadleaf trees back close to the ground so they regrow as a cluster of new stems. The cycle is then repeated every few years or every couple of decades, depending on the species. It has shaped Sussex woodland for centuries, especially hazel and sweet chestnut coppice in the Weald.

A coppiced wood is a patchwork of bright clearings and older growth, which suits woodland flowers, butterflies, nesting birds and dormice. It also gives a regular crop of poles for fencing, bean sticks and firewood. We cut in the winter while the trees are dormant and work in sections, so there is always a range of habitat. If your coppice has been left to grow on for decades, we can help bring it back into rotation.

Woodland clearing

Left alone, woods can become choked with bramble, scrub, fallen branches and invasive species such as rhododendron and laurel, which shade out native plants and make the wood hard to use or enjoy.

We clear overgrown scrub and bramble, remove fallen and storm-damaged trees, cut back invasive species and reopen paths, rides and boundaries. Cleared material can be chipped, stacked as wildlife habitat or taken away, whichever suits you. Clearing is also the first step before replanting, fencing or putting a wood back into use.

Wherever we can, we plan clearance outside the main bird nesting season, roughly March to August, and we take care around protected wildlife.

Forestry mulching

Forestry mulching clears overgrown land by shredding scrub, brash, brambles and small trees into mulch on the spot. A machine with a rotating mulching head does the work, so there is no need to cut, stack, burn or cart everything away.

It is a quick way to deal with dense, overgrown ground, and the layer of mulch left behind helps protect the soil and hold back regrowth. The machine works from the surface and the stumps stay in the ground, so there is less disturbance than digging everything out.

Mulching suits overgrown scrub and bramble, neglected woodland edges, rides and paths, field margins and land being brought back into use. It is not right everywhere: larger trees are normally felled first, and access, slopes, soft ground and underground services all need checking on the site visit.

A deep layer of mulch can smother ground flora and seedlings, so how much is left on the ground depends on the site. Mulching on its own will not stop rhododendron or laurel, which regrow from the stumps, so it needs following up (see invasive species below). As with any clearance, we plan around nesting birds and other wildlife.

Invasive species: rhododendron and laurel

Rhododendron ponticum and cherry laurel are evergreen shrubs brought to Britain as garden plants. Both have escaped into the wild, and across southern England they are among the most damaging invasive plants in woodland.

Both plants regrow vigorously from cut stumps, and rhododendron seed can stay in the soil for several years, so clearing them is not a one-visit job. We cut and remove the growth, deal with the stumps and roots, and plan follow-up checks for regrowth so the wood can recover. If rhododendron is spreading in from neighbouring land, it is worth talking to your neighbour, because new plants can seed back in.

Rhododendron ponticum is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it an offence to plant it or cause it to grow in the wild. Cuttings and waste need handling carefully so they cannot spread, and should not go in a garden green waste collection.

Once an area is clear, we can replant it with native trees and shrubs. See our tree and hedge planting.

Selective felling

Selective felling means taking out particular trees for a reason, rather than clearing a whole area. That might be a dead, dying or diseased tree, a tree leaning towards a building or path, a tree crowding out a better one, or making space for new growth. It keeps the character of the wood while dealing with the trees that cause problems.

We agree with you which trees are coming out before we start, and fell them in a controlled way, whole or in sections depending on what is around them.

Larger amounts of timber may need a felling licence from the Forestry Commission. In England you can normally fell up to 5 cubic metres in a calendar quarter without one, as long as no more than 2 cubic metres are sold, and trees in private gardens are generally exempt. If you are unsure, we will point you in the right direction before any work begins.

Other woodland work

Woodland management often involves a few other jobs alongside the main work:

• Storm damage and windblown trees: making fallen and hanging trees safe and clearing the mess.
• Deadwood and wildlife habitat: leaving or creating log piles and standing deadwood for insects, birds and small mammals.
• Paths, rides and access: reopening tracks so you can walk, drive and work in the wood.
• Timber, firewood and wood chip: processing what comes out of the wood so it is used rather than wasted.
• Replanting: new trees after felling or clearance are covered by our tree planting service.

Before we start

Felling licences, Tree Preservation Orders, conservation areas, ancient woodland and protected wildlife can all affect what you are allowed to do and when. We will check what applies to your wood before any work starts, so you are not caught out.