About

The Nettleton Forest Plan Area (FPA) covers 79.2ha in total and comprises three adjacent woodlands: Big Wood, Long Wood and Black Wood. The Nettleton woodland block is situated in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, between the villages of North Kelsey and Nettleton, approximately 2km west of Caistor and 11km north of Market Rasen.

Given the predominantly flat topography of the area, the only significant viewpoint of the Nettleton FPA in the wider landscape is looking westward from the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The pine-dominated woodland is undesignated (as is the surrounding farmland), but does surround a small block of Ancient Replanted Woodland under private ownership. There are remnants of a small World War Two army camp on the western edge of Big Wood.

Public access into the Nettleton FPA is primarily from local dog walkers and the residents and visitors at the two neighbouring caravan sites. Although there are no public footpaths
within the Nettleton FPA, the woodland is dedicated open access land under CRoW (Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000), and walkers enjoy the forest roads and network
of informal paths. The Moortown Road (B1205) passes through the wood and there is a small informal parking area by the forest gate just off the road.

Objectives

Our aim is to create a more diverse and resilient woodland, with a greater range of species and habitats, whilst maintaining timber production. The objectives of management here are listed below.

Economy:

• adopt silvicultural systems appropriate to sustainable commercial objectives with the priority of producing quality timber.
• make the woodland ecosystem more resilient to the impacts of climate change, diseases and pests, by continuing to diversify the even-aged structure of the mature conifers and by introducing a greater range of site– and climate-suited tree species during restock.

Nature:

• maintain and extend the broadleaf woodland edge habitat for the benefit of wildlife.
• introduce operations to remove and / or reduce invasive species, such as rhododendron.
• conserve Trees of Special Interest, recruit future veteran trees and increase deadwood habitat.

People:

• continue to provide open access for the public.
• record and retain important historic features.

​​​​​​​What we'll do

The current plan outlines the management proposals for Nettleton, including felling and regeneration/planting over the next 50 years. Felling is approved for operations into 2032.

Over the next 10 years approval has been granted to clearfell 23.6ha of conifers, which will be restocked with 18.5ha of conifers and 5.1ha of broadleaf trees. In addition, 21.2ha will be managed using Low Impact Silvicultural Systems.

Thinning operations will also take place on a 5-year cycle in conifers and 10-year cycle in broadleaves. These operations are designed to provide sufficient light to boost growth of understorey and ground flora, allow adequate space for the development of crowns, increase the diameter of logs and accelerate individual tree growth.

A more detailed outline of the forest structure and planned operations can be seen in the Forest Plan document.