Under the instructions of the Forestry Commission, tree management has been taking place at Rougham Estate in past weeks.
This is necessary to control the spread of the invasive Spruce Bark Beetle which has come over from Asia and poses a threat to our forests. Norway Spruce trees over 3 metres tall have been felled as they are particularly vulnerable to the beetle.
The beetle tunnels into the bark of living trees to lay its eggs. The larvae then feed and develop, forming tunnels that weaken and, in most cases, kill the host tree.
The good news is that healthy trees like oak, sycamore, birch and yew are not affected and will be left to flourish without the extra competition. We will also be planting more broadleaf trees to enhance the woodland’s health and diversity.
Our Christmas tree plantations are not impacted by this. Most of our Norway Spruce Christmas trees are safe and our Nordman Firs are not affected by the beetle.
This work was timed to minimise disruption to wildlife, such as the nesting season. Thank you for your understanding as we work to protect our local environment.
