Sustainable forestry at the heart of Miserden Estate
For over a century, the Wills family has cared for Miserden Estate, nurturing 344 hectares of woodland at the heart of the Cotswolds. Guided by a long-term vision of resilience and diversity, the Estate’s forestry team's approach takes into account commercial, conservation and community needs to ensure the woods thrive for generations to come.
At the 2025 RFS Excellence in Forestry Awards, Miserden Estate won Silver in the Duke of Cornwall’s Award for Resilient Multi-Purpose Forestry. Owner Nicholas Wills tells us about their approach to managing 344 hectares of woodland, from tackling ash dieback to building a sustainable, productive woodland on challenging sloping valleys.
Over a century of woodland stewardship
Miserden Estate extends to 1,215 hectares, of which 344 hectares are woodland. The Estate has been in the ownership of the Wills family since 1913. Tom Wills took over the management of the Estate in 1975 and dedicated the next four decades of his career to establishing a long-term approach to sustainable forestry. In 2016, his son, Nicholas Wills, assumed responsibility, building on this legacy while also adapting the woodland to meet an increasingly wide range of modern needs.
The Estate now employs a small, dedicated in-house forestry department with two full-time staff. Together, we work towards a clear intent: to maintain diverse, resilient, continuous-cover woodland that maximises natural regeneration, supports a wide variety of flora and fauna, and balances both commercial and environmental aims.
The Golden Valley woodlands
The majority of the woodland lies within the Golden Valley, which runs north to south through the heart of the Estate. Its steep slopes pose real challenges for forestry operations. The woodland is typical of the Cotswolds, dominated by beech and ash along with oak, sycamore, lime, cherry, conifers, and larch.
In recent years, ash dieback has had a significant effect on our woods. Ash was the second most dominant tree, after beech, contributing about 40% of woodland across the Estate. We have tackled the disease methodically, working north to south and focusing on compartments with greater than 40% ash over the last 6 years or so. This has meant that some compartments have been very heavily selectively felled and through the Woodland Tree Health Grant, we have planted 48,780 whips.
Managing for the future
Regarding replanting to safeguard against future tree diseases, we view strength through diversity, so we have planted 20% beech, 20% oak, and then 7% of lime, walnut, hornbeam, birch, field maple and wild pear with 5% Douglas fir, larch and Norway spruce.
There are concerns about the drought resistance of beech regarding climate change, not to mention squirrel pressure, but it is such a prevalent tree, synonymous with the Cotswolds, that we felt it had to form a reasonable share. There are inevitably still a number of ash, in various stages of ill-health, remaining in plantations where ash forms a lower percentage. Challenging as this has been, it has also created an opportunity: the chance to increase species diversity and strengthen long-term resilience.
Management of the woodland is guided by a Long-Term Approved Forestry Plan. The woodland is divided into three areas. Each area is visited on a three-year rotation with an aim to thin each compartment on a 9 to 12 year rotation depending on the yield class of the stand. Regular thinning and the encouragement of some natural regeneration, mainly sycamore, as well as ash replacement planting, has resulted in a varied age class in many stands which contributes towards our aim of transitioning to continuous cover forestry as well as our environmental objectives.
Woodland at the heart of the Estate
Woodland management at Miserden is not just a conservation exercise; it is central to the Estate’s wider commercial activities.
We use the timber we produce to feed two 360kW biomass boilers, which supply heating and hot water to 38 homes in the village. As far as we know, it’s the largest privately funded retrofit biomass plant in the country — something we’re really proud of. This system provides a sustainable local market for our low-grade timber.
Higher-grade timber, in insufficient quantities to make a full load, is used for maintaining Estate buildings, while the rest is processed into quality firewood sold both to the local community and through a local contractor.
This commercial activity ensures the woods remain in good silvicultural condition, provides a sustainable harvest, supports biodiversity, and maintains the traditional landscape of the Cotswolds.
Biodiversity and environmental stewardship
Environmental stewardship lies at the heart of the Estate’s forestry. Veteran and future veteran trees are retained throughout the woods to enhance biodiversity. Around these specimen trees, ‘halo’ thinning opens space and light, creating ideal conditions for wildlife. Deadwood from forestry operations is left in situ to provide habitat and enrich ecosystems.
At the bottom of the valley, which is unsuitable for traditional forestry, our small herd of Belted Galloway cattle can be found grazing. They play a vital role in promoting the conditions for wildflowers which in turn support 28 different species of butterflies. Working with Butterfly Conservation, the Estate contributes to the ‘Back from the Brink’ project, which has identified rare species here including the Dingy Skipper, Duke of Burgundy, and Pearl-bordered Fritillary.
We are proud to collaborate with the Royal Agricultural University, which runs research projects examining the effectiveness of different management techniques in controlling invasive species such as bracken.
Squirrels, deer and managing water
As part of the Stroud Rural Sustainable Drainage Project, Miserden has worked with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust to install 50 leaky dams in the valley, built from ash cut on the Estate. Fifteen of these structures were designed specifically to deflect flows and enhance instream habitat, particularly for the native White-clawed Crayfish, which is found on the Estate in the upper catchment of the River Frome.
Deer and squirrel populations are carefully managed to maintain a healthy balance. Detailed cull records have been kept for the last 23 years, with venison sold locally to ensure nothing is wasted.
Sharing the woods
Miserden’s woodland is not only a working and ecological resource; it is also shared with the public. The Estate contains a network of 26 miles of footpaths and bridleways, with suggested walking routes published on our website. A permissive educational trail takes walkers past the lake and several specimen trees, including the tallest Douglas fir in Gloucestershire at over 53 metres.
We also work with Miserden Primary School and the local Scouts to promote outdoor learning wherever possible.
Through this access, we seek to share the value of the woodland with the wider community, providing opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment of the landscape.
A thriving resource for future generations
At Miserden, the woodland is central to the Estate’s identity and vitality. It sustains local enterprises, provides renewable energy, and supports wildlife habitats. It is a place of research and conservation, as well as recreation and education. Above all, it embodies the Estate’s commitment to sustainable stewardship — a balance between commercial necessity and environmental custodianship.
We are immensely proud of the role our woodlands play in the life of the Estate and the community. Building on the vision established more than forty years ago, we continue to work towards a resilient and diverse future, ensuring that Miserden’s woodland remains a thriving resource for nature, people, and generations to come.
We would like to thank The Royal Forestry Society for recognising our work in woodland management and for supporting all those who are committed to caring for Britain’s forests. Across the country, woodland stewards are working tirelessly to manage their woods in sensitive and sustainable ways, and we are proud to be part of that community.
Do you own or manage a woodland in the South East of England? The 2026 Excellence in Forertry Awards will take place in London and the South East. Find out more about how you can apply.
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