Charney Field Woodland Project

Charney Field Woodland Renovation Project

The project is being managed by CHAFT’s Woodland Renovation Project Team (see Terms of Reference).

The first phase involved the felling of a group of some 70 aspen trees on the southern side of Charney Field. Sadly these trees, planted as replacements for diseased elm, were simply the wrong trees in the wrong place. They had become elderly, were planted too close together and were producing weak growth – necessitating increasingly frequent work to deal with broken branches. With a house and childrens’ play area in close proximity and a bridle way and footpaths running through the cluster, the situation was not safe, so the aspens were felled in September 2020 while retaining other tree species that were present.

A felling licence was obtained from the Forestry Commission along with reports from woodland specialists on the best way to prepare the land for replanting, and in so doing balancing effective clearance with environmental concerns. Felled aspens are prolific producers of suckers and with no sustainable mechanical method available to eradicate growth that could choke new plantings, the only effective way to remove them permanently was by carefully-controlled, professional spraying of glyphosate directly to the leaves of the suckers. This appears to have worked.

With the aspens felled and suckers treated the next phase of the project saw an opportunity to create, in the heart of the village, an area of new woodland. The felling contractor (Wessex Woodland Management) drew up a plan and provided the whips for a scheme consisting of a blend of English native trees, underplanted with native shrubs. This will provide a biodiverse habitat rich in flora and fauna which will, over time, form a backdrop of differing textures and colours to Charney Field. The trees were planted in February 2022 under supervision by village residents and with subsequent diligent removal of weed growth the area is slowly becoming well established. Volunteers continue to work on the area to keep grass and weeds under control while the trees continue to establish themselves.

For more information on the Woodland Renovation Project and on the rationale underpinning the approaches chosen for the different phases, please go to our FAQ page.

If you have further questions, please do email me on gildersleeveslucy@gmail.com

Lucy Gildersleeves

Chair of CHAFT (until 14th October 2020)  (Management Trustee Body for Charney Field)

For the latest information on the project please contact the  Chair of CHAFT  chair@chaft.org