While the main purpose of our woodlands remains the protection of raw drinking water quality, our plans to move towards mainly broadleaved deciduous native species such as birch, oak and ash also helps enhance biodiversity, access and recreation.
Working with our tenant farmers we have created significant new areas of woodland. So far we have planted 250 hectares of oak woodlands which have made a major contribution towards regional biodiversity targets.
Production of timber is not our main objective, but we do seek to maximise the opportunity to offset our catchment management costs through sale of timber where this is appropriate. We are also keen to promote the use of low grade timber as a source of woodchip fuel.
