Project Blastridge

In 2018 we removed the stands of soft wood that were planted in the late 1960s. The entire site was replanted with softwood in 2020.

We were not happy with the prospect of the site undergoing the same transformation into a piece of land with an entirely sterile woodland floor due to reduced light levels. Shown below is the state of the woodland floor if replanted with the same methods.

Therefore, we took advise from The Woodland Trust who, thanks to their words of wisdom and generosity, allowed us to progress down a path that would be more beneficial for the local wildlife and landscape. These changes that they helped us implement will ensure that future generations are able to walk under native hardwood species and enjoy the diversity of wildlife on the forest floor that comes with this sort of woodland.

We have also erected some 1km of fencing in order to ensure that the 2500 planted oak trees are spared from predation by Roe deer.

Keep your eye on this page for updates to the project.