Forestry Commission Wales is embarking on a major programme of work to remove conifer trees and harvest timber at Afan Forest Park, near Port Talbot, which it manages on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government.
The 11,000 hectare Afan Forest Park is located in the Afan Valley, one of the narrowest, shortest, and most beautiful valleys in Wales and a popular destination for visitors.
The first phase of the forestry work will take place over the next 12 months and will see the removal of 25% of the trees in Penhydd Forest which is part of the forest park.
The removal of selected trees will open up the forest and benefit the remaining trees by giving them more space and light, boosting their growth and, ultimately, producing better quality timber.
The additional space will also allow the expansion and natural regeneration of native broadleaf trees and the extra sunlight reaching the forest floor will increase biodiversity, encouraging plants and wild flowers to flourish and providing habitats for wildlife.
Due to the scale of the forestry operations, all waymarked walking trails and cycle trails will be closed in Penhydd Forest while the work is being carried out. It may also be necessary to temporarily close some Public Rights of Way.
Information about which trails and Public Rights of Way are closed will be displayed at access points around Penhydd Forest and at the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre.
The rest of Afan Forest Park will remain open including the Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre, and the other four mountain bike trails and five walking trails. Tymaen Amphitheatre will be closed during the work, but events that have already been booked will take place.
Claudia Robbins, Forestry Commission Wales’s Planning Forester, said, "Afan Forest Park is a beautiful woodland and, by undertaking forestry operations such as this, we can ensure it continues to provide a range of environmental benefits both now and in the future.
"We will continue to discuss our plans with stakeholders throughout the work and we will keep the public informed via information boards in the forest and at Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre, and online.
"When the work is completed, we plan to create new cycle routes, improved walking trails and other recreation facilities to enhance the forest experience for all users."
The trees removed from Penhydd Forest are expected to yield around 12,000 cubic tonnes of timber. The majority of this will be utilised in Wales which will, in turn, help to underpin jobs in the local timber industry.
The timber will be supplied to sawmills, where it will be processed into a variety of products including fencing materials, gates, cladding, decking, sheds and construction materials. Some will be sold to the biomass industry which uses wood to create energy in place of fossil fuels.
The Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre is run by Neath Port Talbot County Council. The Centre’s Managing Ranger Dick Wagstaff said, "We must remember that, although Afan Forest Park is a very popular destination for walking and cycling, it is also a productive forest and forestry work needs to take place from time to time.
"This essential maintenance will improve both the ecology of the forest and the experience for visitors.
"It will also give us an opportunity, working with Forestry Commission Wales, to reassess and improve the walking and mountain bike trails in that part of the forest."
The work in Penhydd Forest forms part of the forest management plan for Afan Forest Park.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Forestry Commission Wales
About 14% of Wales is covered by woodlands. Of this, 38% (126,000 hectares/311,000 acres) is owned by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Forestry Commission Wales is the Welsh Assembly Government’s department of forestry and manages these woodlands on its behalf.
Forestry Commission Wales provides advice on forestry policy to the Minister responsible for forestry. It provides grant aid to the private sector and regulates forestry by issuing felling licences.
Forestry Commission Wales is also part of Forestry Commission GB and contributes to the international forestry agenda.
More information on the woodlands of Wales is available on www.forestry.gov.uk/wales
Press office contact: Mary Galliers, mary.galliers@forestry.gsi.gov.uk, 0300 068 0057.