Think before you fell

Date: 11th November 2024

November marks the start of the winter tree planting season. Planting trees in the winter, when they are dormant, minimises the amount of stress they experience and increases their chances of reaching maturity.

Here in the Chilterns, we’re passionate about trees; 23% of the Chilterns National Landscape is woodland and over half is classified as ancient woodland. This means there’s been woodland areas in the Chilterns since the 1600s – when maps started to be accurately recorded. Ancient woodlands have been relatively undisturbed over many centuries, allowing them to become rich and complex habitats that are home to many threatened species.

But sometimes cutting trees down, known as felling, is necessary to help keep our woodlands healthy and safe for people to enjoy.

Necessary felling

Felling is a normal part of woodland management and has been carried out for centuries. Young trees require thinning to allow more space for others to grow. Most ancient woods have been repeatedly cut back to ground level to stimulate growth and provide firewood or timber. As timber is a renewable resource, we can keep growing more

Felling for safety

With recent storms, droughts and diseases causing more dead, damaged and dangerous trees, felling for safety reasons is also necessary. However, the level of risk should be considered before a decision is made.

Sometimes a tree is felled but then left in situ to slowly decay and become an important part of the woodland ecosystem; this decision will depend on the economic value of the tree and the ease of timber extraction.

Getting the right permissions

It’s not just trees in woodlands that need managing, and many people have trees in their gardens. If you decide you need to fell a tree, it is important to obtain the correct permissions or licence to do so.

Woodland management is regulated by the Forestry Commission in England and they issue felling licences for an agreed programme of work, often linked to a woodland management plan. But, there may be other constraints to consider. Local authorities and councils may have put a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on individual trees or woods, so their consent may be needed to fell a tree.

A tree with a red painted 3 on the trunk.

Dead tree near a footpath marked with a red "3" to indicate need for felling. (John Morris)

It is also important to consider the season before felling a tree, as bats and nesting birds are among the protected species that must be taken into account.

Remember, there can be fines for getting it wrong and felling without permission, so please think before you fell.

This article was adapted from “Think before you fell” by John Morris, originally featured in Outstanding Chilterns Magazine 2019/20. You can read the current and previous issues of Outstanding Chilterns online.

Featured image above shows felled oak trees (John Morris).