Distressing sight of a felled woodland: Country diary 50 years ago

Originally published on 29 May 1967

KESWICK: There is quite a lot of hardwood tree felling going on round here at present, not in State-owned woods but on private land. There are few sights more distressing to the senses (and sometimes the common sense) than a felled woodland, especially when most of the replanting (if any is done at all) will probably be of coniferous trees to replace these lovely oaks, beeches, and sycamores. I visited one such ravaged wood last night towards dusk in ignorance of its fate and found trees down, small fires burning, and a great quiet.

Related: Rebirth of a native woodland