LORRIES will shortly begin removing the first of over 100,000 conifers from a Gwaun Valley hillside as a major National Park restoration project finally gets under way.

Over the next five years some 25,000 tonnes of sitka spruce in the Penlan Wood plantation, near Newport, will be felled and removed, allowing the site to return to heathland and native woodland.

The conifer harvesting was scheduled to begin earlier in the year, but the foot and mouth disease crisis led to it being put on hold until now.

The National Park's forestry officer, Celia Thomas, is co-ordinating the project in conjunction with forestry agent Peter Goodyear.

Said Celia: We are pleased that the project is finally beginning after unexpected delays caused by the foot and mouth crisis.

'Work is commencing with the sale and harvesting of the standing timber. Following harvesting, clearance of branches (brash) will be undertaken, initially only on a trial plot monitored by the Forestry Commission. Removal of the debris should allow heather seeds still present in the soil to germinate.'

Celia said that by next summer it is anticipated that the harvesting will have moved towards the bottom of the site, where it is hoped to establish some native woodland.

'This year we have found a lot of young downy birch and alder seedlings and it is hoped to use some of these to start the broadleaved woodland there,' she said.

'Woodland would once have extended beyond the valley sides, but agriculture has generally claimed the better land and more level ground for grazing and crops. Before grazing is possibly reintroduced to Penlan, once vegetation has again re-established itself, there is an excellent opportunity to encourage the development of a more natural woodland.'

The timber has been sold to a local contractor and two lorry loads will, on average, leave the site each working day. The lorry route is from Bedd Morris to Newport and then northwards.

Penlan Woodland is popular with walkers and during the site works some paths will be temporarily closed, but diversions will be in place allowing walkers to get through.

Walkers are asked to observe the warning signs which will be in place during the harvesting process.