“We are devastated and disappointed in both South Staffordshire Council and the Forestry Commission who authorised the felling licence of our much-loved wildlife haven and Green Space, despite strong objections from the local community and numerous organisations such as the Wildlife Trust and the CPRE. Whilst the woods were in need of some management, this is above and beyond what was needed for the woods to function and thrive as an important ecosystem, as designated by DEFRA a ‘Priority Habitat Inventory for Deciduous Woodland’. In normal authority planning applications, these objections are visible but despite requests, the transparency of this process has not been possible. We will now take this further. We reiterate that the landowner, Clowes Developments, is neither a community or conservation organisation, and while Ridgehill Woods remains on the Call to Sites list as a potential development site for them, we do not accept any rhetoric from the company that their actions are in the interests of anyone but themselves. Their signs stating that the Woods are ‘Private Land’ are trying to constantly intimidate users, despite well over fifty years of open access by the public. This is why our modification order is so important to maintain that access.”
Friends of Ridgehill Woods Dudley and South Staffordshire 
I regularly walk these woods with my wife and our dogs. The tree felling that is taking place now is far too severe and also happening at a time when birds are nesting thereby causing maximum disruption to wildlife. There are areas where replanting has taken place where vehicles and machinery have driven over the newly planted trees and destroyed them. The contractors are Not being responsible.
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