Timber harvesting will begin at a popular walking destination.
Forestry England has announced that the work will take place at West Woods from the end of September until March 2025.
The forest will remain open to visitors during this time, but walkers are being asked to follow route diversions to ensure the safety of both themselves and workers.
The work will involve thinning out densely grown mature beech trees.
This will provide the remaining trees with more space to grow and allow more light onto the forest floor, improving conditions for ground flora and the wildlife it supports.
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Ash trees showing signs of chalara ash dieback, a destructive disease that makes trees brittle and likely to fall, will also be removed.
Forestry England will also be working to protect the Wansdyke and Long Barrow scheduled monuments in West Woods.
This will involve reducing bracken, removing trees in poor condition that might cause damage, and clearing any new trees trying to grow.
The organisation is working with Historic England to plan how to conserve and improve these monuments.
Throughout the works, steps will be taken to protect West Woods’ annual display of native bluebells.
Vehicle movements will be carefully managed to minimise their impact on soils and bulbs, and timber will not be stacked in areas important for wild flowers.
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All the timber felled in West Woods is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification as sustainably produced and supplies UK timber mills.
Area manager Nikki Morgans said: "West Woods is a working woodland producing certified sustainable timber, which is a strong, versatile, and renewable material.
"Many people see forests and woodlands as natural environments, but they are often working landscapes being carefully managed to benefit people, wildlife, and our economy.
"Our work this winter is not only producing timber, it is essential to support the future of West Woods and the features that make it so special.
"The forest is open to visitors throughout the work but there will be some necessary disruption to the easy access route, and the Wansdyke path will be closed to allow us to work safely.
"Visitors can help us to re-open these routes as quickly as possible by following safety signs and instructions."
More information about Forestry England’s work in West Woods can be found on their website.
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