Petty’s Copse woodland restoration project

From December 2026, we’re starting a new decade-long project to restore and enhance Petty’s Copse, a woodland bordering Chineham and Sherfield Park.

This follows an assessment that found the woodland is under pressure and not as healthy as it could be. The planned improvements will help protect it from the impacts of climate change, boost biodiversity and create a stronger, more resilient woodland for wildlife and visitors.

Replacing non-native species with native trees

The project will see us remove non-native conifer trees and plant new saplings of native species including rowan, elm, hazel, small-leaved lime and hawthorn. Native trees already in the copse will remain.

The felling and replanting will be completed over time, section by section, throughout a 10-year period. This will help the woodland’s ecosystem to adapt naturally to the changes and to give the newly planted trees time to establish before work begins elsewhere. All the felling for this project will take place in the autumn or winter, outside of bird-nesting season.

Benefits for nature

Removing the non-native conifer trees, whose foliage creates a dense canopy, will help more sunlight to reach the woodland floor. This will increase the diversity of ground flora and improve habitats for wildlife. Conifers can increase the acidity of the soil they are in, so removing them will also help to balance the soil’s pH, benefitting the ecosystem.

The removal of the non-native trees will also help to widen some of the paths running through the woods. This will make it easier for people to walk through and enjoy the area. The extra sunlight will also help ground-level vegetation to thrive, which will support butterflies and other insects.

We expect bramble growth may increase initially. This is positive for ecology, as brambles provide valuable shelter and food resources for wildlife and could help support the establishment of local dormouse populations. Over time, bramble cover naturally declines.

This project will create real benefits for wildlife, supporting our biodiversity strategy, ecological emergency declaration and the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Hampshire we developed with partners across the county.

How the wood will be managed

The wood from the felled trees will be removed from the area. The aim is to reuse it in a sustainable way. We are currently talking to interested organisations about how this could happen. This webpage will be updated once we know more.

How to get involved in nature conservation in the area

The Sherfield Park Conservation Group works with our teams and Natural Basingstoke to help care for Petty’s Copse and other natural habitats in the area. Take a look at our conservation groups webpage to find out more, including how you can get in touch with the group about joining in.