One of the aims of the Woodland Fair on 7th October this year is to make people aware of the fact that lovely as it is, Brineddin Wood is not in the best condition for its long term survival as an ancient, semi-natural oak woodland. Here is a discussion paper inviting people to comment. All views are welcome, whether you are attending the Woodland Fair or not.
Redlake Valley Community Benefit Society 
Thank you, Mary. Most helpful. I’ve copied to Anthony Morgan as he is the author and will gather replies.
Patrick Cosgrove Well House Chapel Lawn Bucknell Shropshire SY7 0BW
T: 01547 530347 M: 07757 559409 (no signal at home) E: pccosgrove@icloud.com
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Dear Patrick,
It’s always difficult to decide the management plan when a wood has been left alone for a very long time. It would seem to me that given the quite limited extent of the woodland you manage, you would surely want to plan some more active management which increased the variety of age classes in the wood, and start by some judicious felling to open up parts to a richer under storey (whether just thru natural regen, or by introducing some other local tree species )and ground flora. It would probably be only a short time before you saw an increase in flora and fauna, butterflies etc. Of course if you have a huge forest, then storms will do this for you, bring down some big trees and open up copses and rides. But you don’t really have enough of a wood to allow a ‘nature taking its course’ approach like this. You would have a long period of increasing darkness and very limited ground flora etc, unless you intervened.
We have been delighted with the regeneration in our small wood in the Clun Valley, following some judicious felling using half acre coupes. Of course it brings all sorts of new problems like bramble, needing more protection from deer etc, but no-
one ever said it was easy!
Good Luck
Mary ( Eminson)
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