Restoring Hardknott Forest: Tree felling

The removal of non-native trees such as this Sitka spruce is a major part of restoring the natural habitats of Hardknott Forest. Volunteers and staff remove a lot of the smaller regenerating trees with hand tools, and Forestry England contractors are removing the remaining plantation to be sold as timber. In between there are trees of the size our Project Assistant Jay is removing here. Too large for hand saws, but not saleable as timber, these are felled and left to decompose, creating habitat as they decay.