HORSEPOWER is (literally) being used in woodland thinning works taking place at Kendal Fell.

Timber extraction is being carried out at Little Wood and Coffin Wood by Grange-based firm Celtic Horse Logging, as part of South Lakeland District Council’s (SLDC’s) woodland management plan.

The management plan is designed to keep woodland areas safe for the public and to provide other benefits such as improved species diversity.

An SLDC spokesman said horses were being used at Kendal Fell to remove trees and encourage natural regeneration “to create a wider selection of wildlife habitats and improve the ecological value of the woodland.”

He said: “Working with horses in forestry is considered the most environmentally-friendly method of timber extraction, being sustainable and carbon neutral and avoiding compaction damaging the ground and increasing the likelihood of water run-off.

“The real benefit of horsepower is on sensitive sites, next to rivers and lakes, steep ground and amenity woodlands frequented by the public.”

The council has previously used equines in woodland-thinning works at School Knott, Windermere and at Kendal’s Millennium Woods.

“It is a wonderful sight to see this work to conserve and enhance the biodiversity of the district being carried out by horses in an effective, environmentally-friendly way,” said SLDC arboriculturalist Graham Nicholson.

“This work will ensure that the woodlands at Kendal Fell can be enjoyed for many, many years to come.”

Celtic Horse Logging has six horses, a mixture of Belgian Ardennes and North Swedish, which have been bred for forestry work. The company has worked all over the UK.