The Forestry Commission (FC) has started work on an extensive winter conservation project to plant more than 50,000 new trees at the Crowthorne and Bramshill Forests in north Hampshire.

The work will form part of a wider scheme across South East England to plant more than 250,000 trees in a bid to improve sustainable forestry in the region and to help combat climate change. Plans include the planting of 10,000 Scots Pine trees at Crowthorne Forest in order to replace those harvested for the production of sustainable timber, while a further 40,000 have been earmarked for Bramshill Forest.

Located within the internationally-recognised Thames Basin Special Protection Area, the cutting down and replanting of trees at both forests provides a ground nesting habitat for three rare European bird species. Beat forester Nick Hazlitt said: "At Bramshill, tree felling supports rare birds maintaining the breeding habitat in a secure sustainable way. The wood that is cut provides a sustainable resource and indeed the selling of timber funds much of the Forestry Commission's nature conservation work.

"The 50,000 trees being planted here this season will help further towards absorbing carbon dioxide, removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and helping to mitigate climate change."