Chesham: Concern after tree felling in Captain's Wood

Residents were left concerned after dozens of trees were felled on Tuesday (January 16) in Captain’s Wood, Chesham.

The ancient woodland is a popular spot for enjoying the outdoors, so when felled trees began piling along the path, many were left shocked.

Chiltern Society’s head of conservation Gavin Johnson said he understood why people reacted so strongly after pictures of the felled trees and muddy footpaths were posted on social media.

Captain's Wood after felling (Image: Chiltern Society)

“People get very attached to the trees understandably. And local people love their woods and they don’t want to see it cut down,” he said.

However, as a conservation organisation managing the woodland for the long-term, Chiltern Society doesn’t “cut down trees without a good reason.”

He said the felling is part of a planned and well thought-out process to help make the woodland more diverse and robust against disease and climate change in the long-term future. 

He said: “Part of that work requires thinning of the woodland and dealing with pests and diseases. Lots of people may think cutting down trees in a woodland is not a good thing, but you have to because Captain’s Wood is a managed woodland. It’s known as a semi-natural ancient woodland.”

Captain's Wood (Image: Chiltern Society)

Although rich with beech trees, all the trees are the same age, which is a problem for diversity because a healthy woodland should have mature trees, younger trees coming through, a scrub layer and flowers all at different heights.

“But in the Chilterns trees were planted at the same time. All the trees are going to die at the same time. So that presents a problem. Captain's Wood doesn't have a very good mix so we're encouraging more species,” Gavin explained.

Most of the trees Captain’s Wood have ash dieback, a tree disease which is predicted to eventually wipe out 80 to 90 percent of all ash trees in the country.

“Woodland thinning is a fairly standard operation, but it’s coupled with the need to also manage the ash dieback,” Gavin said.  

With lots of public access to the woods, management is also about keeping people safe as diseased trees near footpaths can collapse after they die. 

"There’s also a climate change issues. If a wood only has one species, it’s very vulnerable to climate change. Single species woodland become very vulnerable, you want a woodland that has oaks, hazel, cherry, and a mix of things." 

Captain's Wood benefits from dog walkers as canines help scare away the deer which eat the young trees. 

Gavin continued: "Although the work looks very dramatic now and things are in a bit of a mess our contractors will be removing all the cut timber and our volunteers will be working hard over the next few months to tidy up any remaining brash so it is off paths and where appropriate create habitat piles for insects. Our contractor will also do some work on making good the footpath where it is rutted once the work is complete."