Knoll Hill Woodlands, Aldington
FLA linked to 10 year WMP. AONB Kent Downs. There are two woodlands on the property, Curtis Wood (3.7 ha) and Bolden Wood (1.1 ha). They occupy sloping ground and are separated from each other by an area of parkland. Both are shown as Ancient Semi-natural Woodland (ASNW) on the Ancient Woodland Inventory. The woodlands are mostly dominated by ash and have been managed as coppice in the past. Other species include hazel, field maple, wild cherry, hornbeam and sweet chestnut. Standards are ash and pedunculate oak. There are also some non-native species present, including sycamore, Capadoccian maple, and horse chestnut, the former two being potentially invasive. The ash is badly affected by Chalara ash dieback, and some work has already been done to remove diseased trees in the northern part of Bolden Wood. To combat ash dieback the applicant is proposing 2 different approaches in 2 woodlands. In Bolden Wood is planned regeneration fell and restocking combining planting and natural regeneration. In Curtis Wood ash will be removed by clear fell in 2 stages and replanted mostly with oak and hornbeam in nests and other native broadleaves around them. Other part of the Curtis Wood, where sweet chestnut and hornbeam is dominant, will be traditionally coppiced.