As of 05/03/2023 I have received no response from emails sent on 30/01/2023 to Forestry England and the National Trust.
In January 2023, Forestry England installed boards at the Turf Hill and Roger Penny Way (Deadmans Hill) car parks. These boards provided 3 reasons for the clear felling occurring in Millersford Plantation and Turf Hill. The boards state ‘do we need to fell all these trees? Clear felling is often the only option in wet and exposed places.’ On a second board: ‘Over many decades this area has been planted with non-native conifer trees to provide timber for the nation. In January, we’ll be working nearby to remove some of the remaining conifer trees and return it back to heathland.’ The board explains some of the benefits of heathland. These boards are not being honest with the public, so my response is below.
For five hours on 22/01/23 we completed a full survey of the site taking many photographs, documenting what types of trees were felled, and importantly, using historical aerial photography we were able to clearly see the success or failure of attempts since 1985 to restore heathland where trees have been felled. With one exception, heathland restoration since 2002 has failed. As a result, we were able to prove the inaccuracies and problems with the three goals stated by Forestry England.
We estimate 70-80% of the trees that we observed felled on 22/01/23, by far the most dominant species, WERE NATIVE SCOTS PINE. Both the Woodland Trust and Forestry England refer to Scots Pine as a native tree. Scots pine is unique and easily identifiable both close up and far away, its needles are far shorter than other pine, and the upper half/third of the tree has a beautiful orange brown colour to the bark. These trees were all over the hillsides and filled the lower areas along the stream at Millersford Copse/Plantation and Turf Hill. They are tall and their orange brown bark can be easily seen even from the horizon. These are the same trees that Scotland is replanting in their thousands in efforts to restore the ancient and once extensive Caledonian pine forests, and the main feeding and breeding source in southern England for the Pine Hawk Moth. Scots pine thrives in heathland. It creates important ecosystems and supports a lot of wildlife. Insects find shelter in the deep fissures of the bark, and lichen is able to fix nitrogen from the air.
Other trees that were felled include pine with longer needles, which I assume were not native, and at the bottom of Turf Hill towards Millers Ford, beeches, oaks, and birch were felled. These hardwood trees were in the minority and in a smaller area, but they were beautiful, big mature trees. These trees are easily identifiable and can be seen in the ‘2023 Photos’ section of this website. One small group of trees has been retained along the ridge, from the January 2023 felling, these trees are mainly hardwood with a few Scots Pine. It is important to note that Phase 2 of the proposed work, to be completed starting 2026, would remove a significant number of native trees (birch, beech, oak) if the areas are clear felled as all previous areas have been. Native birch has filled in the majority of this area, and oaks are also present. The walks through here are beautiful, with the reddish tops of the birch trees visible at a distance even in winter gloom.
Regarding heathland restoration, which is the stated goal by Forestry England, an analysis of intent vs outcome leaves a sorry story. (Please refer to the map section of this website.) Areas cleared 1985-2002 have regenerated fairly well with heather, except several years ago a section of the 1985 heather was burned (misguided ecology?!) and has not regenerated. It is now just grass with burned twigs. Another section from 1985-2002 to the northwest (where all the cut logs are now piled) has failed, with just bracken and turf grass remaining. With just one exception, all other areas felled from 2002 onwards have failed, (ie the majority of the entire plantation) leaving only bracken, baby gorse plants, barren gravel/soil, moss, or turf grass. The soil is clearly poor. Bracken is poisonous, even carcinogenic to browsing animals, and the New Forest has a policy of burning gorse, although every winter we do see the animals eating it. I am not aware of any effective program to remove bracken, once it is established I believe it will always be dominant.
I am not an ecologist, so I do not know why the heathland restoration is failing. I have been told that Forestry England is not sowing heather seeds, but is relying on spread from established heather further away. Heather does not germinate easily from seed, it requires several weeks of freezing temperatures. Heather grown from seed, in situ has very low yield. It is best propagated from plugs. Commercially obtained heather seed costs £2-3 per square metre, so not inexpensive. In these circumstances without active planting, it seems disingenuous to refer to it as a 'heathland restoration.' Bracken or gorse restoration would be equally applicable! Looking back through past photos we noticed in an area where heather had regenerated in 2018, it is now dead and gone. Perhaps the heather is being afflicted by a disease, perhaps temperatures are warmer than Ling Heather (Calluna, which flowers late summer) prefers. We noticed that where heather was attempting to grow, growth was best on protected slopes, facing north or northwest. It could be that new heather plants require some protection to get established, which could have been provided by the trees. As more and more of the trees were felled, I suspect that conditions became too harsh and exposed. Compaction of the soil by heavy machinery could also play a role. The pine trees via fallen needles, also made the ground more acidic, which heather prefers. It is clear that pine trees and heather exist in a beautiful symbiotic relationship, and in addition to how Hale Purlieu appeared in the 1800s, clear felling seems very misguided.
The heartbreak here is that a species that was so clearly valuable to anyone (ie, trees!) would be replaced with bracken, gravel, gorse and grass. The second heartbreak is that visitors to the area are now asked to tolerate a scarred, barren landscape in the hopes that in 20 years, perhaps a desired species will become established, although probability remains low. The third heartbreak is that an institution such as Forestry England would not undertake, or care to undertake, on an analysis of their past success at heathland restoration, before embarking on removing an estimated 13.5 hectares (33 acres, estimated area of trees felled in January 2023) of beautiful trees and ecosystems and thereby continuing their failures. !!
The third stated goal by Forestry England to ‘clearfell’ is because ‘selective felling’ is impossible due to the exposed terrain. Ie, wind would knock over any trees that they would leave. I dislike disagreeing with such a venerable institution, however all evidence at Hale Purlieu proves contrary. A row of pine trees were retained along the very peak of the exposed bluff of Hale Purlieu, from felling undertaken 2005-2014. I assume the trees were retained to block views of the power lines and pylons, which are dominant here. These pine trees remain, standing tall and strong, despite being the most exposed for several miles. I compare this to the trees in Godshill Inclosure, between Woodgreen and Godshill. Despite these woods being dense, not exposed, but protected by other trees and the terrain, every winter many hardwood trees fall over and block the trails. Anyone who has visited mountainous terrain has witnessed the hardiness and tenacity of pine trees and their ability to cling to steep slopes and the smallest rocks. Clear felling on slopes drastically increases water runoff, and erosion of quality top soil. The terrain at Turf Hill, Millersford and parts of Hale Purlieu is some of the mostly steeply sloped in the New Forest. Groups of trees needed to be retained on the most steep slopes for their value to the soil and to prevent erosion. The RSPB rejected the National Grid plans for clearing at Hale Purlieu in 2018, I doubt they would approve of clear felling at Millersford Plantation and Turf Hill. Apart from the loss of beauty and amenity, I grieve for the lost habitat and shelter for the birds which once roosted in these trees.
When we returned home after our 5 hour survey of Turf Hill and Millersford Plantation, I heard the one thing I had not heard all day – birdsong. All I had heard all day was road noise from Roger Penny Way. Several people living in Hale noted that traffic was louder now the trees are gone. Our garden with its trees and shrubs is filled with birdsong all day, even in winter. Turf Hill is now silent, except for cars. One Hale resident noted that the deforestation combined with their 2018 National Grid underground powerline proposal fight, made her ‘want to move away from the area.’ She expressed ‘weariness about fighting.’ Another visitor was ‘apoplectic with rage’ when he viewed the destruction. Another person I talked to said that for local residents, the 2018 underground power line fight was about property values, about not having a power cable going through their back gardens. He suspected that regarding the deforestation of Turf Hill and Millersford Plantation, since it was further away, people may be more apathetic in their response. Well, Phase 2 of the deforestation will be closer to homes. When those trees are gone, more traffic from busy Roger Penny Way will be audible. The power pylons and cables will be fully revealed in all their glory. Hale Purlieu is the north gateway to the New Forest. Tourism brings a lot of money to the area. Do visitors really want to see a tree cemetery and ruined trails when they come here for their holidays?
As every decade more trees have been removed at Hale Purlieu, Millersford and Turf Hill, more precious the ones that remain became.