HERTFORDSHIRE County Council has received over £180,000 of funding to undertake a large woodland-creation project.

The Forestry Commission has confirmed the council will receive £182,000 for the creation of Potters Chase Wood, a new publicly accessible woodland located on a 72-ha rural site to the east of Potters Bar and bordering the M25.

The project has been made possible through the Forestry Commission’s Woodland Carbon Fund which has been able to commit 100 per cent capital costs due to the site’s location within a ‘Priority Places for England’ area.

The project, developed by Maydencroft on behalf of the council, will see over 38,000 trees planted across a two-year period, incorporating rides, glades and woodland edges. Trees will be a mixture of broadleaved and coniferous species, with at least 70 per cent productive species that can be harvested for timber.

Neil Chamberlain, senior forestry consultant at Maydencroft, says: “On the drier, more acidic soils, a mix of silver birch, Scots pine, sessile and pedunculate oak, holly, rowan and hornbeam will be planted. On the more neutral, base-rich soils, wild cherry, small-leaved lime and common alder will be added to the traditional mix of oak and hornbeam.

“Where higher-yielding conifers can be planted without adversely affecting the long-term landscape, Douglas fir, western red cedar and Norway spruce will be included in blocks separated by ribbons of broadleaf planting. Scalloped woodland edges and rides will be planted with native shrubs to give structure and promote habitat diversity.”

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