Why is the car park being enlarged?
We're combining two smaller car parks into one larger, improved facility to make it easier for people to access and enjoy Oxshott Heath.
How will visitors benefit?
The new car park will provide a better-quality parking area, improving access to one of Elmbridge's most popular countryside sites.
Why are the car park and woodland works happening at the same time?
Delivering both projects together helps minimise disruption while improving access for visitors and enhancing habitats for wildlife.
Will the improved car park affect nature?
No. The car park improvements sit alongside woodland restoration works designed to increase biodiversity, support wildlife and create a healthier, more resilient heath.
Why are woodland management works taking place?
These works are part of a planned programme of woodland management to improve the long-term health, biodiversity and resilience of the woodland. Thinning selected trees allows more light to reach the woodland floor, encouraging a wider variety of plants and wildlife and helping to create a healthier habitat for future generations.
Why do so many trees need to be removed?
The thinning operations are part of a long-term management programme and typically take place only once every 20 years. Removing selected trees reduces overcrowding, improves the health of remaining trees and creates better conditions for a greater diversity of plants and wildlife to thrive.
Will footpaths and informal routes be restored after the works?
We aim to maintain and restore the main paths used by visitors wherever possible. However, due to the nature and extent of open access across Oxshott Heath, it is not practical to restore every informal or "desire" path that has developed over time.
Why has the area been opened up so much?
Creating a more open woodland structure allows greater amounts of sunlight to reach the ground. This encourages a broader range of woodland plants to grow, increasing biodiversity and creating a more varied habitat for insects, birds and other wildlife.
How will the works benefit wildlife?
Thinning allows more light into the woodland, supporting a greater variety of flora. As the woodland develops and light levels change over time, different plant species establish themselves, which in turn supports a wider range of insects and other wildlife. This natural process is an important part of maintaining the rich biodiversity found on Oxshott Heath.
Will opening up the woodland affect wet areas?
Opening up an area can help increase air movement and evaporation. However, this is a complex environment and conditions are influenced by a range of factors, including the ongoing effects of climate change. As a result, changes in ground conditions can be difficult to monitor and predict over time.
Why wasn't the thinning carried out right up to the site boundary?
The thinning area is defined by the approved felling licence. However, there are practical limitations when using forestry machinery, which means it is not always possible or safe to undertake thinning operations right up to site boundaries.
What we do with the timber produced as part of the woodland management works?
The timber is sold to contractors to finance woodland or habitat management projects in Elmbridge nature reserves to increase biodiversity and keep them healthy and thriving for the future.
It is transported to mills around the country to be processed to make beams, planks, boards, fencing, decking and timber for peoples’ gardens. It is also used as wood fuel. By-products from the sawmill will be put to use as animal bedding, chippings or mulch for gardens. Nothing is wasted.
What will happen to the branches and timber left on site?
As with previous woodland management operations, brash (cut branches and smaller material) will be retained in parts of the woodland, providing a wealth of habitats to a range of wildlife, including birds, fungi, bats and insects. Through decay over time, the dead wood provides the soils of the future.
Where possible, it will be kept away from paths and access routes.
The works have made the area look untidy. Why is this necessary?
Woodland management works can appear dramatic immediately after they are completed. However, these are temporary visual impacts associated with a once-in-20-year management operation that delivers significant long-term benefits for biodiversity, woodland health and habitat resilience.
Will damaged tracks and access routes be repaired?
Yes. Working within the practicalities of a countryside environment, we will endeavour to restore any damage to tracks and access routes once the woodland operations have been completed.
What is the purpose of the temporary loading area?
The loading bay is needed to safely support the woodland management works and timber extraction process. It is a temporary feature. We will restore the area as soon as it is practical to do so once the works are complete.
How long will it take for the woodland to recover?
Woodland is constantly changing and evolving. While the site may look different immediately after the works, vegetation will naturally regenerate over time. The benefits of increased light levels, improved woodland structure and enhanced biodiversity will continue to develop over many years.