We love trees, but not all wildlife does. Removing invasive non-native Pine trees is crucial for managing heathlands. If we don’t, these areas could turn into Pine woodlands, causing many species to disappear. Clearing scrub helps create open spaces for wildlife like reptiles and ground-nesting birds to bask and nest. 

Why Pine trees are bad for heathlands

Heathlands may seem wild, but people have been taking care of them since the Bronze Age. They used livestock grazing and even fire to stop them from turning into forests. Pine trees are not native to Dorset heaths. They grow fast and take over, blocking the sun that reptiles need to stay warm and stopping native plants from growing. Not much grows under Pine trees, so ground nesting birds like Nightjar and Woodlark can’t find good places to nest. Long ago, big wild herbivores would eat the young trees before they could grow. Today, our cows help, but our Rangers also work hard to keep the Pine trees from taking over the heath. 

Planting the right trees in the right place

Trees are great for the planet. They create homes for animals and help store carbon. Planting trees helps fight climate change, but we need to plant the right trees in the right places. Not all trees are suitable for some areas. Places like heathlands are not suitable for trees at all. Heathlands are important in the fight against climate change too, by storing carbon in their soil permanently. They also provide homes for many wildlife species that can’t live in forests.

Timber

After we cut down the trees, our rangers chop them into smaller logs. We burn the logs in our wood burner to heat the Visitor Centre and Nature Nursery, which helps us use less fossil fuel. We also use the wood for fences, signposts, and log piles which create habitats for insects and reptiles. Timber from larger trees get used to make things like roof trusses and fence posts, reducing the need to import wood. Any leftover wood chips go to a UK biofuel power station. Even small Pine trees are useful, we send them to local farms as food for goats and alpacas. 

Get involved!

You might see our rangers cutting down trees on the heath. Tree felling is dangerous, so please keep your distance and follow any signs. If you want to help with clearing scrub and managing habitats, ask us about our Conservation Volunteer teams. We also run an annual ‘Pull a Pine’ event every December where we invite the public to help us cut down Pine trees and take home a tree for Christmas (there’s also mince pies!).