Current

Harvesting has restarted in Crag at the west end of the valley. All rights of way are open however please look out for timber lorries on the narow road to Bleach Green car park. The harvesing work at Crag is at aimed at removing the windblown timber so that native woodland may be allow to develop. To this end around 400 Downy birch have been planted on the more level part of the site adjacent tot he River Ehen.

Future Work

Future work is planned in the valley over the next twelve months with a second team arriving to carry out thinning work between Bowness Knott and Gillerthwaite. The aim of the harvesting work is to deliver the objectives set out in the Wild Ennerdale Stewardship Plan . These are to remove by clear felling the last remaining harsh boundaries within the valley, above Bowness Knott and the Triangular shape below Pillar. In addition the remaining large spruce just west of the Middle Concrete Bridge have been removed to open up the River Liza. An area of spruce wil be removed from east of the Top Ford and east of Gillerthwaite to further open the valley bottom and mires. Lastly the forest between Bowness Knott and Gillerthwaite will be thinned removing the trees marked with paint at about 1.3m high. Trees marked with paint at the base and unmarked trees will be left standing. The thinning is aimed at giving the predominantly broadleaf regeneration more light and room to grow.

The harvesting work will require the diversion of a number of rights of way but a route up the valley will always be maintained. In addition harvesting around Bowness Knott and along the lakeshore will avoid Bank and School Holidays . The route from Bowness Knot to Gillerthwaite will not be closed but will be marshaled when operations do start.

This will be the last period of significant clear felling in the valley east of Bowness Knott. In the future the forest will be managed through thinning alone.

On Completion of all the harvesting the clear felled areas will be allowed to regenerate naturally with a mix of trees and more open habitats likely to develop. Spruce regeneration will be controlled by cutting when the young trees reach around 2 to 3m tall or by pulling when very young . More juniper and native broadleaves will be planted at the east end of the valley. In 2008 we are planting around 12,000 Downy birch which will add to the 7,000 Juniper and 28,000 birch and oak already planted during 2006 and 2007 by National Trust, Forestry Commission and volunteers teams.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience that this work causes. I hope you will look forward to the benefits this work brings in further allowing the valley to develop as a wilder place where natural processes shape the future look and feel of the landscape. Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact Gareth Browning on 0771 2751060 or by email Please be aware of timber lorries using the roads between the A 5086 and the work sites in the forest and for your own safety please do not approach working machinery or chainsaw operators.