New woodland begins to take root near town

A new woodland is being created in a Devon town as part of work to combat climate change.

Forestry England is planting a mixture of trees and shrubs, including broadleaved trees and conifers on the 135-hectare (333-acre) site it has bought in Hatherleigh, near Okehampton.

The site will be known as Fishleigh Wood and the conservation body said it would "absorb carbon from the atmosphere, enhance the local landscape, and provide important habitat for wildlife".

It hoped the greening of the site would provide a source of sustainable timber and boost nature in the area.

It is the second new wood Forestry England is creating in the area, after it previously announced plans for Okement Wood and Quoditch.

Forestry England said the new woods would "form stepping-stone habitats for wildlife", allowing animals to move across the landscape.

Forest management director Kevin Stannard said the project paid for by the government's Nature for Climate Fund was "a positive step forward for woodland habitat in this part of Devon".

"By planting new woodlands close to one another, as we're doing here, we can help nature recover at a landscape scale, while delivering long-term benefits for future generations," he said.

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