Winter work aims to protect wildlife habitat
Work is to be carried out over the winter by Cannock Chase Council to help to protect a site in the district that is one of Europe's rarest and most threatened wildlife habitats.
Work is to be carried out over the winter by Cannock Chase Council to help to protect a site in the district that is one of Europe's rarest and most threatened wildlife habitats.
Hednesford Hills Local Nature Reserve is one of the largest remaining examples of lowland heathland and grassland in the Midlands and the council has announced its commitment to the area's protection.
In Staffordshire alone, it is estimated that around 90 per cent of the county's heathlands have been lost.
On areas that are not regularly grazed by the council's herd of dexter cows, thousands of young trees are becoming established in the heath and grassland.
If this process is allowed to continue, much of the rare grassland and heathland would be lost, along with the wildlife associated with it.
The council removes a large number of tree seedlings every year.
However, tree invasion is outpacing the rate of removal.
So Natural England, the Government's adviser on the natural environment, has agreed to fund an accelerated programme of tree removal and the programme is also being backed by the Forestry Commission.
Over the coming winter months, invading trees will be removed from areas of Cockpit Hill and to the east of Rawnsley Road. Some of the woodland plantations in these areas will be reduced in size to allow the expansion of heathland – but none will be removed entirely due to their recognised importance within the landscape.
The woodland will then be thinned to give the remaining trees more room to develop.
The work is due to start by Christmas and will be completed by March before the start of the bird breeding season.
Councillor Tony Williams, the council's environmental sustainability leader, said: "While scattered trees and small woodlands are important elements of Hednesford Hills, the council has to maintain a delicate balance between trees and open areas.
"If the thousands of young trees become established, the nationally important heathland could be at risk.
"It would also mean that open views across and out of the Hednesford Hills would be obscured, damaging the natural beauty of the area."
