Tree felling on the Malvern Hills is understandably causing considerable upset to some of the locals. As one lady has just been quoted as saying:
“We were horrifed to find tractors and trailers churning up the native bluebells, contractors felling trees that have been never been touched in generations. My daughters were extremely upset and have asked me why they were cutting down trees as it goes against everything they are taught.”
Midsummer Hill Iron Age Fort – Wikimedia/Creative Commons
The trouble is, they haven’t been taught the whole picture. It’s not good to lose the trees but it’s also not good that the trees are damaging the Midsummer Hill Iron Age Fort. Trees growing on ancient monuments – sometimes deliberately planted – are usually regarded as acceptable but sometimes the roots are causing such major damage that removal is the best option.
Jennifer Grantham, the Conservators’ deputy conservation officer, summarised the conservation cleft stick that often arises:
“Midsummer Hill is designated as both a Scheduled Ancient Monument by English Heritage for its archaeology and a Site of Special Scientific Interest by Natural England for its wildlife value.
I can appreciate that the work may be shocking but I can assure you that the work is a result of advice and consultation with various partner bodies including Natural England, the National Trust, owners of the Hill fort and their archaeologist, the county archaeologist, English Heritage and a local ornithology expert.”
The aim of the work was to clear the less ecologically important trees to protect the archaeology from root damage and thus improving the long-term stability of the Iron Age hill fort so that future generations can enjoy it.”
UPDATE:
The following Comment has just been posted by “Credashill” –
I’ve visited the site and I’m deeply concerned that the work hasn’t followed established guidelines.
The operation was undertaken in wet weather using heavy machinery and has resulted in soil disturbance and deep rutting on the site, especially on the track through the southern gate of the hillfort. In addition to this, brash has been burned in a number of different locations on the site including the summit and the ramparts.
I’ve taken several photo’s of the site (which you are welcome to reproduce) and would be very interested to hear your opinion: http://www.flickr.com/photos/credashill/
Further detailed criticisms have been added by ” Evendine” and several others.
The Heritage Journal 
9 comments
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27/02/2012 at 08:55
Maju
The environment is generally more important than “monuments”. Archaeology and Prehistory are not about creating “monuments” (what better monument than multi-century forest?!) but about discerning our past. Full stop.
27/02/2012 at 10:05
Credashill
I’ve visited the site and I’m deeply concerned that the work hasn’t followed established guidelines.
The operation was undertaken in wet weather using heavy machinery and has resulted in soil disturbance and deep rutting on the site, especially on the track through the southern gate of the hillfort. In addition to this, brash has been burned in a number of different locations on the site including the summit and the ramparts.
I’ve taken several photo’s of the site (which you are welcome to reproduce) and would be very interested to hear your opinion: http://www.flickr.com/photos/credashill/
27/02/2012 at 10:30
heritageaction
Many thanks. We’ve added your comment as an update to the article.
27/02/2012 at 14:07
evendine
After hearing that logging was happening on the hills (again!), I visited Midsummer Hill last weekend and was appalled at the devastation I found. Mature designated woodland, including fine specimens of ash, oak and hawthorn clear felled on a Scheduled Ancient Monument in an SSSI, within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty!! The ancient and slow growing moss-turf has been turned into a tractor rutted mud-patch :0( How many rare and protected species have been damaged?
Before leaving to visit the site, I called the County Archaeology department responsible in Hereford and met one of their archaeological staff there – who seemed very concerned about the damage done – particularly that large fires which had been lit on the actual ramparts of the fort. Contrary to what is suggested by the MHC deputy Conservation Officer in her public statement in the Malvern Gazette on this issue, the damage done to the site was such that the County Archaeology department immediately instigated a formal investigation into what had taken place. We await their report.
When questioned over the legality of clear felling designated woodland in such an important and heavily protected location, The Conservators Conservation Officer, Rob Havard, responded that s.10 of the Malvern Hills Act 1884 and s.14 of the Commons Act 1899 designates the hills as an ‘open space’ and that therefore MHC are exempt from needing felling licenses under the provisions of the Forestry Act 1967.
This ignores the fact that exemptions do not apply to a SSSI in a Scheduled Ancient Monument. (see ‘Felling Trees in Special Areas’: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fccs321.pdf/$FILE/fccs321.pdf)
Scheduled Monument Consent is required before any change is made to the environment of a SAM.
Whatever the Conservator’s legal argument, it most certainly doesn’t apply to land which they do not own such as Midsummer’s Hill (National Trust land).
In any case, the Conservators have a mandatory duty to protect and preserve the woodland of the hills under s.21 of the Malvern Hills Act 1924.
To add insult to injury, I then learned that the ‘Conservators’ have clear felled Ragged Stone Hill too! Similar destruction has been visited on that other beautiful Ancient Woodland – Park Wood…
So soon after the the St Ann’s Well scandal, one might have thought the ‘Conservators’ have learned a lesson or two about listening to what the public want and getting proper legal advice. Apparently not, to the detriment of all…
27/02/2012 at 18:01
Harebella
Midsummer Hill is a very special place to a lot of local people , I’m one of them. My daughter aged 10 & I went up there for a walk two weeks ago and were stunned by what had happened. My daughter was in tears and she refuses to go back there, we have gone up there in all weathers throughout the different seasons since she was a baby.
The thing is that it is a place of mystery with its untouched tree covered ramparts, the wooded slopes full of bluebells (the best i’ve ever seen) and the soft grass full of ancient anthills and fantastic harebells later on in summer. It’s the sort of place that inspires a child to nature, to history and to archaeology but now i don’t know how to describe how she feels , just cheated and very angry with the people responsible for destroying such a beautiful place.They cut down old twisty hawthorns and 2-3 1/2 feet diameter mature trees.
Another thing is that healthy old trees like this provide a certain amount of protection to the ramparts from wind and rain and holding them together. By chopping them down ,it can speed up any damage done as the stumps rot. The damage to the ramparts where tree stumps were dragged up and heavy machinery driven over will create indentations which once wind and rain get in will speed up the erosion. Five big fire sites have damaged the site too.
I just feel so angry with the people and organisations responsible for this injury to Midsummer Hill , for their arrogance and the way they trample their schemes over local people. There has been no respect, information, education , consultation or involvement with the people who walk and visit this hill and who hold it dear within their hearts!
27/02/2012 at 20:46
Sally Gibson
Thankyou all! I’m glad it isn’t just my family and I that feel so strongly about this unique part of the Malvern Hills. I do hope that together we can at least find out why there was no notification to the public of their scheme, but then again, they may have realised what response there would be. I hope somebody has the tenacity and passion to continue fighting this issue with the authorities responsible for this tragedy.
27/02/2012 at 22:02
Harebella
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Malvern-Hills-from-the-Conservators/327015944011350 Sally there is this facebook group which you can access even if you are not a member of facebook , which has started in direct response to the desecration which has happened on Midsummer hill.
28/02/2012 at 23:39
Rebsie
Can I add my voice to the chorus of those absolutely appalled by the destruction of this beautiful site? I understand the conflict that is caused by having tree roots growing into ancient monuments … but ripping up the ground with heavy machinery and trashing a mature woodland (as Harebella says, one of the most spectacular bluebell woods to be seen anywhere) is the most backward “conservation” I’ve ever seen. Absolutely awful, heartbreaking mess.
I’ve put some of my photos together with Credashill’s to show the “before” and “after”: http://sulismanoeuvre.blogspot.com/2012/02/midsummer-murders.html
07/04/2012 at 21:59
Mike Harwood
Having just returned from a visit to Midsummer Hill I have to voice my horror, shock and grief as to what has been done there. This is vandalism of the worst kind. What has been a place of inspiration and beauty all my life is now a site of ugliness. A curse on those who orchestrated the tree slaying.
No more please. Leave it be. Stop the felling immediately.