Alarm at plan to fell nearly 800 trees in woodland near Crosby

By Julian Whittle

Last updated at 17:01, Friday, 20 February 2009

Woodland near Crosby-on-Eden that includes 150-year-old oak trees and is home to red squirrels could be felled in the name of nature conservation.

Natural England wants to cut down 45 oaks and 727 Scots pines at White Moss, a designated site of special scientific interest north of the A689 and west of Carlisle Airport.

The 94-acre plot is mostly lowland raised bog. Getting rid of the trees should allow it to return to its natural state.

But the proposal has alarmed some nearby residents.

James Bainbridge, a Carlisle city councillor for the area, said: “The proposals ignore the benefits that having Scots pine on the site have brought to the diversity of the area.

“White Moss is home to roe deer and red squirrels. The plans to fell the trees risks the scattering of those species.”

Ray Bloxham, a Conservative councillor for Longtown and Rockcliffe, shares that view.

He added: “The felling could be done in a phased programme rather than all at once. I’m fed up with people in authority doing things without bothering to consult.

“They make decisions without consulting local people or telling them why.”

Natural England has applied to the Forestry Commission for a felling licence.

The consultation on its application closed on Monday but the outcome is not yet known.

Susan Clark, a spokeswoman for Natural England, defended its proposals.

She said: “The felling of trees is part of a programme of bog/lowland raised mire restoration and is in line with the Government’s target that 95 per cent of our SSSIs should be in a favourable condition by 2010.

“Restoration involves the removal of trees, which are causing the bog to dry out, followed by blocking ditches to hold rainwater on the bog surface and prevent rapid run-off after rainfall events.”

She said the work would be timed to minimise disturbance to wildlife, avoiding the breeding season for birds and red squirrels, and would probably start in October.

Phasing it was not practical and there would be “little impact” on red squirrels.

She added: “White Moss is too small to support more than a transient population. It is the view of experts that small pine-rich sites such as White Moss could not act as long-term refuges for red squirrels.”

Cumbria Wildlife Trust has safeguarded a wildlife haven at Orton Moss, near Carlisle.

The purchase of additional land at the SSSI has increased the trust’s stake and will help preserve this mossland.

The new land is mainly wet birch woodland with small pockets of open areas where cotton grass can be found.

Like White Moss, it is home to red squirrels, roe deer and woodland birds.