Harpsden & Peveril Woods - Harpsden

Long term intentions

As an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific interest, it will be important to maintain a good working relation ship with the local EN Officer

The management of this woodland will ensure that the Woodland Trust corporate objectives of safeguarding ancient woodland, increasing biodiversity, and improving public enjoyment will be met.

The woodland as a whole will be managed as a minimum intervention high forest ensuring a diversity of different age class develops due to natural losses death and decline of older trees. Naturally regenerating gaps will be allowed to develop naturally to enhance the decaying wood habitats. Opportunities will be taken to enhance the decaying wood habitats by retaining trees through maturity and senility to death. No wood will be removed by the Woodland Trust and efforts will be made to reduce illegal removal of fallen and cut timber. The rhododendron and Laurel will be removed from the woodland and the pockets of Sycamore identified will be felled to reduce seeding in the wood.

The important soil, herb layer and deep leaf litter communities will be protected by minimising trampling and vehicle damage. Rationalisation of the recreation use to minimise the impact on the ground flora will be encouraged by consultation with local people. This will be a protracted campaign and will involve the need for good and robust interpretation around the woodland especially along the roadside which at the present time is abused by illegal dumping of garden waste and other debris. A concerted effort through the Trust's maintenance programme will ensure that this is minimised and the buildup of rubbish kept to an absolute minimum, therefore not attracting more to be dumped.

Access is at present unrestricted but there is inappropriate use of the site by horse riding and mountain biking. In the long term it is hoped that this can be controlled to restrict the damage that is being caused to the ground flora. Clear waymarking of paths may be beneficial to reduce this.

Initiatives will be taken to work with adjacent woodland owners and neighbors as opportunities arise to encourage sympathetic management of adjacent SSSI woodland