PLANS for felling part of a forest on Exmoor have been changed following a site visit by local villagers and parish councillors.

Residents and councillors in Wootton Courtenay and Timberscombe were given a tour of the Ranscombe area by Forestry England’s Exmoor and Quantocks forester John Ebsary.

They expressed strong concerns about clear felling which was in progress on the slope immediately north of the Ranscombe track as it wound its way through the forest landscape.

Timberscombe Parish Council chairman Cllr Katy Attwater said the visit provided people with a good understanding of the forest plan and its objectives for conservation, environment, recreation, and timber income.

Cllr Attwater said: “We were told that all current harvesting work on Wootton Ridge will be completed by this Christmas, barring extreme weather events and market conditions.

Woodland at Ranscombe, on Exmoor, where Forestry England is felling trees near Timberscombe and Wootton Courtenay.
Woodland at Ranscombe, on Exmoor, where Forestry England is felling trees near Timberscombe and Wootton Courtenay. (Ingrid Popplewell)

“The forest will be monitored for the next five years and any unforeseen work due to windblown trees or disease will be carried out in that time.

“After five years, in 2028-29 further felling work may be done in accordance with the forest plan.

“Forestry England are not expecting to have to do work on the scale they have done this year as they have caught up after the long period of 20 years when no harvesting works had been carried out in the forest.”

Now, Mr Ebsary has told the two communities Forestry England was changing its plans to accommodate local feelings.

Mr Ebsary said: “After careful consideration it has been decided that a proportion of conifer and broadleaf trees will be retained in this area.

“Some trees will be removed as part of the thinning process to remove poorer form conifer trees.

“But the landscape of the embankment will keep its character of ‘big trees’ while we continue with the planned clear felling on the upper side of the embankment to produce sustainable timber.

“I hope this will allay concerns about loss of character while we are still able to achieve our short and long-term forest management objectives.”

Mr Ebsary said the site would be monitored from a tree safety perspective and a review of the woodland would take place when the existing forest plan was revised, at which time parish councils would be able to have an input.

Forestry England’s current forest plan for woodlands across Exmoor can be read online here.