Dartforest Ltd.

Dartforest Ltd. Arboricultural and Ecological Consultancy • Nature Conservation • Habitat Restoration and Rewilding

A stunning layering yew tree at Stoke Gabriel in South Devon today.
02/04/2026

A stunning layering yew tree at Stoke Gabriel in South Devon today.

In early March myself and  carved this woodpecker feature in a dead cedar stump. After a few weeks of activity between a...
30/03/2026

In early March myself and carved this woodpecker feature in a dead cedar stump.

After a few weeks of activity between a great spotted woodpecker and a pair of nuthatches, we had some great news from the clients, the nuthatches have now successfully begun nesting in the feature carved into this cedar.

The cavity was originally packed with deadwood, and it’s been fascinating to see how the birds have excavated it. I’m told the lower hole (just beneath the original entrance) was started by the woodpecker and then finished by the nuthatches.

We’re really pleased this feature has become useful to a targeted species so quickly. I’ll be continuing to monitor their progress over the coming weeks.

Coming to the end of our winter habitat creation works 🌿❄️Great to be working for  on one of his PAWS sites, where a rec...
17/02/2026

Coming to the end of our winter habitat creation works 🌿❄️

Great to be working for on one of his PAWS sites, where a recently felled larch plantation (due to Phytophthora) has opened up new opportunities for habitat enhancement.

We were asked to create new features in some of the declining ash along the edge of a wider woodland valley to provide instant habitat for mammals and birds.

We carved:
🪺 Several bird boxes for different species
🦉 A large owl/raptor feature
🐭 Dormouse & small mammal features
🦇 Bat boxes
🌳 A woodpecker feature
💧 And a first for us — a dipper/wagtail feature (thanks for the specs

All of these will form part of our ongoing research and monitoring programme, and we can’t wait to see what moves in.



This week we’ve been collecting data on a number of new carved micro-features created earlier in January at a site for  ...
05/02/2026

This week we’ve been collecting data on a number of new carved micro-features created earlier in January at a site for in Devon. 🌳

Around 30 features, across 9 different designs, were carved into young trees which will form part of our wider monitoring programme and ongoing research.

Amazingly, after just two weeks, two features already showed evidence of mammal use, while many others had signs of use by birds. We’ll be returning later in the year to continue monitoring them.

Big thanks to for carving the features, and to Bob for helping with data collection.

Great to be back on this particular site this week, surveying an incredible collection of veteran parkland trees on a hi...
29/11/2025

Great to be back on this particular site this week, surveying an incredible collection of veteran parkland trees on a historic estate in the South West. A privilege to assess these significant trees and help inform appropriate management for them.

25/10/2025

I couldn’t resist sharing another video of a dormouse successfully using one of our carved features! 🐭🌿

and I deployed six cameras on carved features, work commissioned by , and we now have evidence of 11 features being used by dormice, utilising three different micro-feature designs.

Nice little find on Dartmoor today during a site visit to a farm estate. Came across these two lovely veteran beech poll...
02/10/2025

Nice little find on Dartmoor today during a site visit to a farm estate. Came across these two lovely veteran beech pollards growing out of an old granite stone wall.

An interesting day up in the canopy of this remarkable Monterey Pine, carrying out a decay assessment with .sw 🌲 We used...
30/09/2025

An interesting day up in the canopy of this remarkable Monterey Pine, carrying out a decay assessment with .sw 🌲
We used a Resistograph to investigate the extent of decay in stems affected by Porodaedalea pini high in the crown.

The wider estate survey revealed some fascinating fungi and several Champion Trees — including the tallest Japanese Fir in England! 🍄🌳

Earlier this year, we completed a 30-year Woodland Species Restoration Management Plan for  commissioned by  .As part of...
23/09/2025

Earlier this year, we completed a 30-year Woodland Species Restoration Management Plan for commissioned by .
As part of this project, we conducted a comprehensive biodiversity audit, a detailed woodland condition assessment, and developed a scheduled 30-year management plan for each woodland compartment across the university campus.

A full baseline survey was also carried out to assess the current condition of the woodlands and identify opportunities for ecological enhancement over time.

The campus woodlands presented a unique and diverse mix, including ornamental and rare specimen trees, some of which are recognised as UK Champions, alongside native broadleaf woodland and veteran trees located on historic boundaries.

We’re thrilled to share that dormice have been found actively using seven of the carved micro-habitat features we instal...
19/08/2025

We’re thrilled to share that dormice have been found actively using seven of the carved micro-habitat features we installed earlier this year, including evidence of nesting and even the presence of live dormice!

In January, we were commissioned by to carry out woodland conservation work and create a range of carved micro-features in a young plantation site on Dartmoor. Although initial monitoring in May showed little activity, a follow-up survey this weekend by myself and revealed fantastic results.

This site is part of a wider initiative we’ve been developing over the past four years. We now have approximately 600 carved features across four sites, all being monitored for use by birds, mammals, and invertebrates as part of our study. We hope to be able to share some of the results soon.


29/05/2025

Set 10 metres apart, these two carved bird box features have been supporting nesting birds in this Scots pine woodland for the past four years. Interestingly, both boxes appear to be used each year by alternating pairs of Blue T**s and Great T**s.

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