Countryside rangers have completed another busy winter season on Cannock Chase, carrying out vital work to protect and enhance one of the county’s most important landscapes.
Over the past few months, Staffordshire County Council's rangers have focused on improving woodland conditions at Brocton Coppice through a process known as ‘halo thinning’.
This involves carefully removing selected silver birch trees from around veteran oak trees to give them more light, space and nutrients. These mature oaks are a key feature of the landscape and support a wide range of wildlife, so looking after them is an important part of long-term conservation work.
The removed birch has been chipped and cleared from the woodland floor to encourage natural regeneration and allow new plant life to establish. All tree management work has been carefully completed ahead of Spring, so that woodland birds are not disturbed as they begin to nest.
The countryside team has also continued to work closely with a local training provider, helping people across Staffordshire to learn practical skills.
Cannock Chase has been used as a base for Lantra-accredited chainsaw training courses, with participants carrying out supervised woodland management work as part of their learning. This has supported both skills development and ongoing improvements to the site.
Throughout February and March, the focus has turned to tree planting. Rangers, volunteers and the Special Area of Conservation team have been working together to plant a mix of oak, silver birch and rowan trees to increase the diversity and resilience of the woodland.
The team is aiming to replant 40 Brocton oak trees in the Coppice by the end of the season.
Many of these trees have been grown from acorns collected on Cannock Chase and nurtured in the rangers’ own tree nursery before being replanted back into the landscape. The young trees are then protected with guards to give them the best chance to establish and grow.
Sarah Bentley, Staffordshire County Council’s Head of Environment and Countryside, said:
“Our rangers do an incredible job all year round, and winter is one of their busiest times. This work might go unnoticed by many visitors, but it plays a vital role in protecting the health of Cannock Chase for the future.
“By carefully managing the woodland, supporting wildlife habitats and planting the next generation of trees, we are making sure this special place can be enjoyed for years to come. I’d also like to thank our volunteers and partners who continue to make such a valuable contribution.”
People interested in getting involved in future conservation work can find out more about volunteering opportunities on the county council’s website.
