Sustainable Woodland Management At Birling Estate

At Birling Estate, we’re fortunate to care for over 700 acres of woodland, the vast majority of which is ancient woodland - a unique and irreplaceable habitat that has been shaped by centuries of natural processes. These woodlands, where the soil has remained undisturbed for hundreds of years, form the backbone of our landscape, hosting an extraordinary array of plants, fungi, and wildlife.

Ancient woodland is far more than just a collection of trees – it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. Beneath the surface, vast fungal networks, often called the “wood-wide web,” connect the trees, sharing nutrients and helping the woodland thrive. Above ground, these woods are a haven for biodiversity, from veteran and ancient trees that provide habitat for bats and insects to ground flora like bluebells and wild garlic that burst into life when sunlight reaches the forest floor.

At Birling Estate, all our woodlands are managed under a Forestry Commission Approved Woodland Management Plan and are certified by Grown in Britain. We practise traditional methods such as coppicing and selective thinning, which play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the woodland.

Coppicing involves cutting trees back to their base to encourage vigorous regrowth, a practice that has been used for centuries. This method not only produces a sustainable supply of timber but also allows sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor, encouraging the growth of wildflowers and plants which support insects, birds, and mammals.

We also collaborated on Home Grown House, a joint research project with London Metropolitan School of Architecture and Grown in Britain to investigating the potential for getting UK-grown Sweet Chestnut Coppice into construction, especially using small-scale sawmill such as ours.

We are proud to make use of coppiced timber for sustainable construction projects across the estate including a delightful children’s play area, woodland kitchen, and composting toilets. Using locally sourced coppiced timber for building projects has the added benefit of sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and lowers our carbon footprint.

Next time you take a walk through our woodlands, take a moment to appreciate the delicate balance of life here – from the sunlight filtering through the canopy to the fungi beneath your feet connecting it all together. It’s a reminder of the beauty and resilience of nature, and why we must continue to care for it.