Sow the seeds for community resource that keeps growing

FORESTRY Commission bosses will this weekend launch a public consultation exercise over plans to take South Yorkshire’s biggest wood back to its ancient roots.

The Commission owns and runs the 456 hectare (1,126 acre) Wharncliffe Wood, between Barnsley and Sheffield, and over the next 50 years it plans to replace nearly all the conifers in the beauty spot with broadleaf trees.

Foresters said the process is well under way, with 11 hectares (27.5 acres) felled this year, and natural regeneration and native tree planting replacing the softwoods.

But they said yesterday that their vision for the future now also needs to cater for the increasing recreational pressure on the wood created by rocketing numbers of visitors.

Mountain bikers, horse riders and walkers have flocked to the wood in recent years, prompted by the growth in off-road cycling websites and national publicity about the need to take more exercise.

Foresters and rangers will be available to explain the plans and encourage feedback at The Venue, 650 Manchester Road, Stocksbridge, tomorrow from 2pm to 5pm.

They will also be in the Wharncliffe Wood car park off Woodhead Road, Grenoside, from 10am to 1pm tomorrow and again on Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

Albin Smith, who works in the wood, said: “We want to know what the public think about the wood, what they value and what facilities they would like to see developed.

“Perhaps they want more waymarked walks, or off road cycle routes, or prefer a lower key approach. This is a chance to learn more about what we are planning, but also influence the future.”

Currently, the wood is evenly split between conifers like pines and spruce and broadleaf trees. It is already recognised as a key wildlife haven for insects, birds, grass snakes and small mammals.

The new plans will create more habitats, ranging from wood pasture to ponds and high quality stands of broadleaf trees. Like many other woods, Wharncliffe was extensively planted in the 20th century with conifers to shore up the nation’s timber reserves.

The beauty spot also has important archaeological remains, ranging from old mine workings to stone quarrying dating back to the iron age. The plans also include continued protection for these sites.