Residents and visitors to Brands Hatch will notice some changes to the appearance of the woodland areas of the venue. This is due to ongoing woodland management projects with the express aim of protecting, preserving and maintaining a healthy and biodiverse environment within the venue.

The most drastic alterations will be the prominent felling of trees at a number of locations, which has already started in Cowless Shaw. This is primarily due to the felling of ash trees following inspections which concluded that ash die-back disease had spread widely throughout the site.

A significant number of ash trees will be felled as part of this process. As publicised in the SEKAM newsletter at the start of 2024, the Forestry Commission has issued a tree felling licence to the circuit and with their guidance our approved contractor is at work, with the first trees taken down in the spring. 

The circuit will keep both Sevenoaks District Council and the local Liaison Group up to date with progress throughout the work, which is expected to take another few months. The ash management project will take place alongside general coppicing to allow a broader range of plants to flourish on-site.

It is planned for a major replanting programme to begin by Autumn 2025.