Fencing

[tomds]

Hi All,

I am in the process of purchasing a very small plot of woodland (0.5 of an acre) and wanted to enquire about fencing. I know this is quite a controversial issue when it comes to small plots. My main reasons for wanting to do this are that A. I want to improve my part for wildlife and don't want things like off road bikes going through. B. There are a number of dog walkers who use the woods and think they have free reign, despite the footpaths being the ony public rights of way.
Would I need planning permission to put a post and wire fence up around the plot? I am also considering a dead wood hedge or another hedge of some kind. Any advice on this subject would be much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Tom

[Stephen1]

“The wide world is all around you. You can fence yourself in, but you cannot forever fence it out.” - J.R.R.Tolkien, LotR

I know it's cheesetastic to quote Tolkien - but it is very apt. Half the pleasure of woodland ownership can be lost through your approach to the woodland's neighbours and 'visitors'. There will always be people doing things you would prefer they didn't on your land - whether they have a right to or not. Some of these things may genuinely have a long term negative impact on the ecology of your woods, and so may need to be stopped - but the vast majority of unwished for intrusions won't, and the more relaxed an attitude you can meet these situations with the more you will enjoy your woods. (In my opinion...)

[MartreCycle]

To answer your question - I don't believe there is an issue with a 'stock' fence - post and wire fence
- your land - and I think you mentioned you are not blocking public rights of ways -


stephen1's post is one, I believe in as well - it's an outlook on life that may mean a fence is not put in place - plus also means you will never be irritated should someone cut your fence


though - there might be an option to plant ' offensive' trees/ shrubs ( native ) - eg black thorn / hawthorn / wild rose /holly - plus an odd obstructive branch which may be more suitable and wildlife friendly

[tomds]

Many thanks for the replies, to be honest I am thinking a natural boundary would be much better. It would do the job and provide a home for wildlife. Looking in to deadhedges and hawthorn!!

[tracy]

Hi Tom

So many of us understand what you mean, but I also think that natural boundaries and dead hedging is the way to go. Fences make people really cross and then they just break them... they can also be a problem to wildlife who would like to pass through.
Hope you get on ok
Tracy

[splodger]

that is a gorgeous dog

re fencing - our small patch is completely fenced in (post and wire) but as part of the terms of our initial felling licence - we had to erect dear fencing along the roadside boundary, before any clear felling took place.

all other fencing is primarily for security as well as trying to keep the chickens within the confines of the wood (we have quite a few chickens )

we have planted hedges at numerous points around the boundary also (mostly inside the wired fencing) and we have used a conbination of plants in the hedgerows to make it attractive to wildlife as well as making it virtually impassable by unwanted visitors - blackthorn, hawthorn, dog rose, wild plum are our favoured prickly plants - we also have hazel, guelder rose, elm and withey - oh and a fair bit of laurel & rhody - which is rife in our area and not planted by us - there is too much there to eradicate, so we chose to keep a fair bit of it that grows along the boundary lines to give a bit of evergreen cover