Ancient woodland to be restored for public use

The Woodland Trust wants to remove invasive species and allow native trees and plants to grow at Harrison Woodlands, near Louth

A charity has begun restoring an ancient woodland after purchasing it for an undisclosed sum.

The Woodland Trust has said it wanted to "create a thriving habitat" for wildlife and native British plant species to grow at Harrison Woodlands in Lincolnshire.

The 483-acre (195ha) forest, near Louth, was recorded in the Domesday Book and home to a variety of wildlife. But invasive species such as rhododendron, as well as trees severely affected by ash dieback, needed to be removed.

A spokesperson for the charity said the restoration project was the "second largest we have ever undertaken in England".

The Woodland Trust said it had raised enough money to purchase the forest following an appeal last year but it still needed millions more to enable them to manage the site for the next 20 years.

David Logan, who is the site manager at the charity, said the woodland was home to a number of rare species, including the white admiral butterfly, and one of only four known pairs of nesting ravens in Lincolnshire.

The charity said it would remove conifers and dangerous trees to make it safe for the public

By eradicating invasive species, the charity believes the restoration will encourage other tree species like native oak trees and birds such as treecreeper and great spotted woodpecker to return to the wood, Mr Logan has said.

He said among the priorities would be to remove many of the conifer species, which were planted during the 1950s and 60s during a big drive for timber.

"Landowners were approached by the government to take out old native trees and replace them with fast growing conifers.

"Reducing the conifers onsite and the non-native trees will hopefully allow our native trees to naturally regenerate."

Mr Logan said most of the work would take place over the autumn and winter following surveys during the summer.

The woodland is currently closed to the public but the charity said it hoped to reopen by spring 2026.

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