Tree felling around a part of the Brocket Hall estate has caused "fury" for villagers who are concerned about birds nesting in the area. 

Brocket Hall estate has commissioned the cutting down of trees in a woodland area around The Ayot Estate - which forms what was the Western part of the original Brocket Estate.

Residents took to Facebook to discuss the possibility of tree felling being illegal as they claim red kites have been nesting in the woods.

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Welwyn Hatfield Times: Trees cuts down in the Ayot St Peter area. Trees cuts down in the Ayot St Peter area. (Image: Mary Barton)

Mary Barton, a resident who was taking a walk when she noticed the trees being cut, said: "One of the woods being felled has red kites nesting for the first time and on top of this there is huge damage to bluebells that people come from miles around to see.

"Villagers are up in arms because this is the height of the bird nesting season. Although it is legal to cut trees at any time of year, it is illegal to disturb birds who are nesting or in the process of building nests."

In the UK, bird nesting season is officially from February until August.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The area of bluebells that were downtrodden by vehicles.The area of bluebells that were downtrodden by vehicles. (Image: Mary Barton)

According to Mary, the estate's forestry manager pointed out that trees are a crop and need to be cut. It is being done at this time because the snow delayed the contract by a few weeks and there is ash dieback in the area.

Ash dieback is fungal disease affecting the common ash tree.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The trees cut down in the Ayot St Peter area.The trees cut down in the Ayot St Peter area. (Image: Mary Barton)

Trees or woodlands in these areas should be risk-assessed, monitored and managed to reduce the risk. By law, the owner of land where a tree stands is responsible for the health and safety of those who could be affected by that tree.

Mary added: "I did point out that they have had from September to February, outside the time of bird nesting activity, to carry out tree felling. 

"Farmers are not allowed to cut hedges from March until August because of nesting, so the same argument should apply to felling woodlands. In my view this work should not be going ahead."

According to government guidelines, all wild bird species, their eggs and nests are protected by law. You must always try to avoid harming birds or to use measures which do not kill or injure them before considering taking harmful action.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Trees cut down beside Ayot Greenway.Trees cut down beside Ayot Greenway. (Image: Mary Barton)

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, red kites also have extra legal protection. For this bird species it’s also an offence to disturb them while they’re nesting, building a nest, in or near a nest that contains their young.

You could get an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison for each offence if you’re found guilty.

In exceptional cases the law allows certain exemptions to permit legal activities (such as a development with planning permission) and where avoiding harm isn’t possible. 

Mary added: "We have biodiversity, species loss and habitat crisis in the UK. We are one of the most species poor countries in Europe, perhaps in the world. We lost the last woodcock breeding area in the south of the UK, in Ayot St Peter, due to inappropriate forestry work."

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The trees felled in the Ayot St Peter are in the last week.The trees felled in the Ayot St Peter are in the last week. (Image: Mary Barton)

                                                                                                        

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"I visited the felled woodland again and the devastation to the bluebell wood along the south side of the Ayot Greenway close to Ayot Little Green is dreadful. The ground is deeply churned up and large areas of bluebells are gone.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Ash dieback is fungal disease affecting the common ash tree. Ash dieback is fungal disease affecting the common ash tree. (Image: Mary Barton)

"Although it is legal to fell woodland at this time of year, with a licence which the Brocket has obtained, cutting the woodland area at this time of year will undoubtedly have an impact on birds and other wildlife and should not be carried out until the autumn season."

Brocket Hall estate has yet to comment on the tree felling taking place.