Work to remove nearly 50 acres of mature woodland is set to begin later this month after the National Trust were given the green light by the forestry commission, despite fightback from regular enjoyers of the woodland.
The felling, starting on September 21 at Blakeshall Woodland, is part of a restoration project led by the National Trust to re-establish lowland heathland on Blakeshall Common.
The Trust plans to fell around 47 acres of the 'non-native conifer plantation' to create the new habitat, which it says will support rare and declining wildlife species.
Ewan Chapman, Countryside Manager for Kinver Edge said:
"The work at Blakeshall Common, due to begin on 21 September, is part of a restoration project to restore former lowland heathland to Kinver Edge. The site was originally heathland before conifers were planted as a timber crop in the first half of the 20th century. "
"Lowland heathland is now a rare and declining priority habitat, supporting wildlife including ground-nesting birds, insects, reptiles, bats and pollinators."
"Most of the ageing conifers across the 19-hectare area will be removed to restore a more open landscape of low-growing heathland vegetation and scattered trees. Existing broadleaf trees, including oak, birch and rowan, will be retained for their habitat and landscape value."
"The area being felled represents just under a third of the conifer plantation at Kinver Edge. Around 150 hectares of woodland will remain across the wider property, continuing to provide important habitats and opportunities for recreation" added Mr Chapman.
"The National Trust is committed to increasing tree and woodland cover across the nation, but conservation is about having the right tree and the right habitat in the right place, for the right reasons."
The work will take place over this Autumn and Winter.
However, locals have raised their concerns about the National Trust's plans to fell the woodlands.
Sue Groom, of the Kinver Edge walkers and riders, a group that have disagreed with the felling plans from the outset, said:
"I understand heathland is valuable habitat but their own report estimates recovery could take up to 20 years for carbon capture. "
"The wood is long established and beautiful visited by a huge number of people who value its peace and tranquillity."
"Over the last 7 years we have been able to save around half of the trees when the NT reduced the project by half. It was originally 100 acres of trees in the deforestation application."
"We have coordinated a campaign which involved a High Street ride through, by about 20 horses, when they threatened to close the main Bridleways."
The National Trust claim the trees were planted as a crop but Sue and the other campaigners say otherwise.
"A crop would have been single species but these are mixed pines and native species."
"The farmers who still work the land around this area joined our campaign as did a number of the residents who back on to the site" added Sue.
"The NT continues to repeat the untruths about the trees being a crop and restoring heathland when this area was common land and used for grazing animals and planting crops like potatoes" said the campaigner.
"The local farmers have been here for many generations. I am disappointed we have arrived at this conclusion."
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