Cabin Hill National Nature Reserve Scrub Removal 

Dynamic Dunescapes Heritage Lottery Fund Partnership 

Client: Natural England 
Final Value: £10,079 
Start Date: Jan 2022 
Finish Date: Feb 2022 

CCNW Solution

This project aims to reduce the increasing dense scrub encroachment within Cabin Hill NNR. Natural England Management decided to reduce the amount of densely colonised willow scrub and so aid the restoration of dune slack and grassland species. 

Scrub Removal 
The removal of willow scrub in conjunction with mowing, bailing, and livestock grazing is recognised as good management techniques in restoring open dunes habitats.

To reduce ongoing nutrient enrichment from decaying root matter and avoid the risk of coppice scrub regenerating, it was decided to uproot the mature willow scrub with its roots attached and then remove it from the site for disposal.

CCNW removed numerous selected stands of mature willow scrub from within designated areas within Cabin Hill NNR. The overall work area covered approximately 1 hectare. Prior to work commencing, stands of rare hybrid willow Salix x friesiana around the fringes of the main selected stands were marked to be retained. 

All targeted willow scrub was uprooted by means of using a 9ton excavator equipped with a rake attachment. Allowing the soil to be shaken off the root system and leaving minimum disturbance to the ground 

CCNW’s conservation team then carried out chipping of all uprooted willow scrub, of which all chip was placed within a large-skips and transported from the site for disposal/recycled for bio- mass.