Rose Barn,
Stibb, Bude

In January 2024, we were contacted by the landowner of 27 acres of ancient broadleaf woodland on a steeped valley over-looking the north coastal town of Bude.

With panoramic views of the North Atlantic coastline in the background, the landowners were growing concerned in which the nature of their prominently Ash, Oak and Beech woodland were seemingly in decline and becoming very unsafe for everyday exploration and use by themselves and their ever-expanding army of grandchildren.

Charlie (THRC owner and founder), arranged a site visit to gain an understanding of the expanse of the woodland project, how bad it had gotten and what our clients exactly wanted from employing us to manage their woodland.

What was immediately obvious was the unmanaged but delicately charming and calming nature of the ancient woodland, filled with an abundance of native flora and fauna, including tree creepers, owls, wood anemones and bluebells. However, the network of paths dissecting the woodland were littered with overhanging branches of diseased ash trees, rotten sweet chestnut coppice and torn oak limbs blocking the way or severely limiting the access that Lizzie and her family enjoy on a daily basis.

It was clear that this project needed to be handled sensitively and delicately, to not disrupt or disturb the existing charm of the woodland, but also making it safe and accessible for the family whilst increasing the diversity of habitats and not unnecessarily damaging existing environments.

Charlie then created a management proposal for ensuring that Lizzie’s objectives were clearly met and exceeded. This included 4 main objectives:

  • Creating a safe and relatively risk-free woodland for the family to enjoy.
  • Restoring the aesthetics of the woodland, understory and woodland floor.
  • Maintaining the existing habitats and ensuring they were not damaged or destroyed.
  • Adding and creating more natural habitats for native flora and fauna to thrive in.

The team have undergone some late/winter early Spring tree restoration works, removing some prominent failing trees near pathways, glades and recreational areas.

Although the team have now paused their operations due to nesting season, we will allow the woodland to enjoy the summer months before heading back in the autumn to complete and deliver on our woodland management plans.

This will include:

  1. Implementing a coppice regime across divided sections of the woodland.
  2. Clearing vegetation and growth from woodland floor in-time for next year’s spring & summer woodland flowers.
  3. Thinning the understory of the woodland and crown-lifting epicormic growth and low hanging branches.
  4. Restocking and replanting areas of the woodland with understory and canopy trees to establish new growth and assist woodland regeneration and regrowth.

This is an ongoing project where our team work closely with the client and her objectives on an ongoing basis. We will tailor and curtail our actions within the woodland depending on time of year, inclement weather and suitable access, so that minimal disturbance is done to the existing ground and environments.

If you’d like to know more about this project, or any of our other woodland management projects then please feel free to give Charlie a call on 07854877764 or email charlie@habitatrestoration.co.uk to discuss your plans or project ideas.