“Woodland management is planned at Warnham Local Nature Reserve from 26 to 31 October to carry out woodland thinning in areas to the north of the ‘top ride’ in Mill Pond Plantation, ” says Horsham District Council.
” The stars of the show will be the Woodland Horses, who can be seen working in the woodland every day over half-term (Monday 26 – Saturday 31 October 2015). There will be opportunities to meet the horses between 12.30 – 1.30pm on each of these days.
“The management work is overdue to thin out some of the planted ash and self-seeded birch trees to allow the woodland to develop without the trees being too crowded. It will also allow more light to reach the forest floor which will encourage more ground flora to grow. But because the woodland is very sensitive, with lots of wildlife already present, a new delicate approach to this woodland work is being adopted. Usually tractors are used to extract the timber from woodland, but this autumn Woodland Horses are being used.
“The horses extract the timber without the usual compaction, ruts and damage to the woodland floor, avoiding possible damage to existing and regenerating trees and, of course, without the usual noise and fuel pollution from tractors! (Although some noisy chainsaws will still have to be used). More details about this type of management work can be seen at: www.weald-woodscapes.co.uk
“It is expected that the woodland area will still look quite bare and disturbed immediately after the works but the woodland will quickly recover, with lots of signs of new growth from next Spring.”
Friends of Chesworth Farm 
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