Wallis Wood: Managing a Small Cornish Woodland Back Towards Native Broadleaf Cover

Starting With a Woodland Management Plan

The first piece of work was to produce a bespoke woodland management plan for the client.

This set out the condition of the woodland, the landowner’s aims, the main risks and constraints, and a phased approach for the work. It included mapping, compartments, felling licence strategy, replanting proposals, method statements, protected species mitigations, species selection and a practical programme for how the woodland could be managed over time.

The main objective was to remove the Douglas fir and spruce crop, but not lose sight of the wider purpose of the woodland. The landowner wanted Wallis Wood to become a more attractive place to visit, with better long-term woodland health and a stronger mix of native species, ground flora and wildlife.

That is where a management plan is useful. It gives structure to the work and stops the project becoming a series of disconnected jobs.

 

Permissions, Constraints and Tree Safety

Once the plan was in place, we prepared and submitted the felling licence application for the removal of the Douglas fir.

During this process, larch was also identified on site, which introduced an additional complication. Because of suspected Phytophthora disease constraints, the larch had to be treated separately rather than simply included with the rest of the felling.

The woodland also sits alongside a busy B road, so tree safety was an important part of the project. A tree safety inspection was arranged, and once the recommendations were returned, we carried out the required roadside works.

Using our MEWP, chipper and ground equipment, we removed four large dead or diseased trees and cut back overhanging branches within 5.2 metres of the highway. The work included crown lifting, removing dangerous material, and reducing risk along the road edge before the larger forestry operation began.

That early phase mattered. It made the site safer, improved access, and dealt with the immediate roadside tree issues before heavier machinery came in.

 

Preparing the Woodland for Forestry Operations

The main conifer crop included large Douglas fir and spruce on steep ground, close to a public road. Although THRC carries out woodland management, tree work and smaller-scale felling, this part of the project needed specialist forestry machinery.

Rather than trying to do everything ourselves, we brought in specialist forestry contractors with the right harvesters, forwarders and experience for the site. That was the right decision for the woodland, the client and the safety of the job.

Before they arrived, we prepared the site by carrying out selective thinning, crown lifting and access improvements along the existing tracks. The woodland already had a steep ride network in place, but it needed opening up and making workable for machinery, timber movement and safe site operations.

The Douglas fir and spruce were then felled and extracted in line with the felling licence restrictions. The timber was sold, with funds going directly back to the landowner.

For a small woodland, this was an important part of the project. The conifer crop had commercial value, and managing it properly meant that value was not wasted.

 

Replanting With Native Broadleaf Species

Following the conifer removal, the woodland was replanted with a mixed native broadleaf scheme chosen to tie in with the existing woodland character.

Species included oak, birch, hazel, rowan, cherry, field maple, alder, willow, sweet chestnut and beech. The aim was not to impose a completely new woodland type onto the site, but to build on the mature hardwoods already present around the edges and encourage a more resilient native woodland structure over time.

Because deer pressure is high in the area, the new trees were planted with 1.8m tubes. No deer fencing was installed, so the individual protection had to be suitable from the start.

One of the more interesting parts of this project is what may come back now that the conifer canopy has been removed. The Douglas fir had created a dark and acidic environment in places, but the woodland already had signs of a richer ground layer nearby, including ferns, bluebells, foxglove, wood sage, yellow pimpernel and honeysuckle.

With more light reaching the woodland floor, there is a good chance that some of the native woodland flora will respond over the next few years.

 

Establishment and Ongoing Management

The replanting is only the start of the next phase.

We are continuing to maintain and establish the new woodland through weed control, strimming, spraying, guard checks and beating up where required. That aftercare will make a big difference. Young woodland can fail quickly if it is planted and then forgotten, particularly on a site with deer pressure, steep ground and strong competing vegetation.

Wallis Wood now has a clearer direction. The commercial conifer crop has been removed, the dangerous roadside trees have been dealt with, the woodland has been replanted with native broadleaf species, and the landowner has a practical long-term plan for how the site should be managed.