I WONDER if I am the only local resident who is suspicious of Forest Holidays' motives for closing Berry Hill woodlands to the public for four weeks.
This piece of woodland is open to local people from January until the end of March. For the rest of the year it is a holiday park for caravans and RVs. The woodland is a mix of mature spruce, oak and beech, and very popular with walkers during the short winter season.
The notice says the area is closed for health and safety reasons while 'tree thinning and essential tree safety is carried out." Tree thinning will improve the woodlands as a wildlife habitat and as a recreational facility.
From my observations, the wildlife consists mostly of squirrels, rabbits and woodland birds and, as far as I can see, none of these will benefit much from tree thinning.
Forest Holidays is the branch of the Forestry Commission responsible for recreational activities. It seems likely that this is the main reason for cutting down what appear to be perfectly healthy trees, rather than any respect for wildlife or the environment.
I think it is worth pointing out that it is completely at odds with the Woodland Trust's encouragement to protect and expand woodland in order to combat climate change.
This is small scale tree thinning, I know, but these days there surely need to be better reasons for cutting down trees than increasing the profits of a holiday business. – Sue Brooks, English Bicknor.