Improving woodland near Havant Thicket Reservoir site

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As part of the Havant Thicket Reservoir project, Portsmouth Water and Forestry England are working together to improve habitats in Havant Thicket woodland.

A specialist contractor is removing the non-native and dying Norway Spruce, and also a small number of suppressed Scots Pine. This will increase light levels in and around local ponds and help improve oxygen conditions for invertebrates and amphibians.

The contractor will also be removing some of the acidic needle litter layer to provide additional benefits for the ponds.

Marcus Stroud, Project Manager for Forestry England, said: “This work will improve the quality of the woodland and is likely to prevent the spread of a serious pest threatening spruce trees in the South East of England. The large eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) kills spruce trees by nesting and feeding under their bark. Once dead, the trees pose a safety risk to the public.

“While the beetle is not currently found in Havant Thicket removing these spruce trees will help prevent the spread of infection across the South East.”

Bob Taylor, Chief Executive Officer for Portsmouth Water, said: “Havant Thicket Reservoir is an environmentally-led project that will deliver a significant environmental net gain for the area.

“These works are part of our much larger environmental programme which will involve planting and improving more than 200 hectares of woodland and wood pasture locally, including planting more than 6,000 trees on the edge of the reservoir site, an 80 hectare rewilding project and carrying out extensive improvements to established woodland in nearby Southleigh Forest and Havant Thicket.

“We look forward to sharing further updates on these projects as the reservoir progresses.”

Work runs from 30 May 2023 and is due to last up to three weeks. Please note this could be extended depending on the weather.

Anyone using Havant Thicket woodland at this time should follow all safety signage.

Some tracks will be temporarily closed while certain sections of trees are removed, but the impact on the public should be minimal.

As part of the Havant Thicket Reservoir project, Portsmouth Water and Forestry England are working together to improve habitats in Havant Thicket woodland.

A specialist contractor is removing the non-native and dying Norway Spruce, and also a small number of suppressed Scots Pine. This will increase light levels in and around local ponds and help improve oxygen conditions for invertebrates and amphibians.

The contractor will also be removing some of the acidic needle litter layer to provide additional benefits for the ponds.

Marcus Stroud, Project Manager for Forestry England, said: “This work will improve the quality of the woodland and is likely to prevent the spread of a serious pest threatening spruce trees in the South East of England. The large eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) kills spruce trees by nesting and feeding under their bark. Once dead, the trees pose a safety risk to the public.

“While the beetle is not currently found in Havant Thicket removing these spruce trees will help prevent the spread of infection across the South East.”

Bob Taylor, Chief Executive Officer for Portsmouth Water, said: “Havant Thicket Reservoir is an environmentally-led project that will deliver a significant environmental net gain for the area.

“These works are part of our much larger environmental programme which will involve planting and improving more than 200 hectares of woodland and wood pasture locally, including planting more than 6,000 trees on the edge of the reservoir site, an 80 hectare rewilding project and carrying out extensive improvements to established woodland in nearby Southleigh Forest and Havant Thicket.

“We look forward to sharing further updates on these projects as the reservoir progresses.”

Work runs from 30 May 2023 and is due to last up to three weeks. Please note this could be extended depending on the weather.

Anyone using Havant Thicket woodland at this time should follow all safety signage.

Some tracks will be temporarily closed while certain sections of trees are removed, but the impact on the public should be minimal.