Forestry work to lead to weeks of road closures

A stretch of road near a beauty spot in Ludlow is to be closed for several weeks, due to forestry work.

A section of Killhorse Lane will be closed seven days a week at Hazel Coppice from Monday 14 October, with a diversion in place, Forestry England said.

Ludlow Parkrun, which is held at nearby Mortimer Forest and starts at Vinnalls car park, is cancelled on 19 October because of the work.

Trees in the area are being cut down as part of a project to supply sustainable timber.

Where is the closure?

From Monday 14 October, a section of Killhorse Lane will be closed at Hazel Coppice.

The closure is between the Gorsty and Monstay farms, between 09:00 to 17:00.

Forestry England said the closure would be for seven days per week, for "several weeks", and it would provide more information during the works.

It added that Vinnalls car park would be open, but only accessible from the Wigmore direction.

Whitcliffe car park will be open as normal, but only accessible from the Ludford direction.

What's happening to the trees?

Mortimer Forest is a working woodland that produces sustainable timber.

Forestry England will be clearfelling trees on the steep bank close to the road at Hazel Coppice in Bringewood Chase.

Clearfelling is the process of removing all of the trees at once, because they have reached maturity.

"Part of Hazel Coppice is classified as a Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS) which means that we are gradually managing it back to the way it would have been several hundred years ago," said Forestry England on its website.

"We will manage the forest to help native broadleaf species such as oak and birch to regenerate naturally."

The north-west area where the work is taking place is not classified as PAWS, and teams will replant a crop of conifer trees there.

When will Ludlow Parkrun be back?

Ludlow Parkrun will cancelled on Saturday 19 and 26 October, the organiser's Facebook page said.

Can I still visit Mortimer Forest?

Yes, Vinnalls car park will remain open, but will only be accessible from the Wigmore direction.

Forestry England said access would remain to as much of the forest as possible during the work.

Additionally, Whitcliffe car park will only be accessible from the Ludford direction.

The land management company added that the public should follow all safety signage, closure information and diversions, as well as being aware of moving vehicles.

"Do not climb on stacked timber," it added.

"A log can weigh up to a tonne and rolling logs can kill. Stacks are carefully made and may look stable but, if a log comes loose, others are likely to follow."

What does this mean for wildlife?

Forestry England said it carried out ecological surveys to check for wildlife in the area, prior to the work starting.

Wildlife in the surveys include birds, mammals, invertebrates, flora, and fungi.

"This enables us to identify ecological constraints such as the presence of European Protected Species and Schedule 1 protected birds, which affect the time of year when certain operations can be carried out."

"We consider our findings against complex factors including tree health, how the ground slopes, soil condition, and likely rainfall when planning forestry work.

"While working, we continue to check for wildlife and adapt, pause, or suspend work if necessary," it said.