With funding from BT and English Nature the area was cleared of rhododendron and replanted with hazel.

It is being managed as a habitat suitable for Dormice, which are known to be present on the reserve.  Formerly covered in Rhododendron, the area was cleared and planted out with young Hazel trees in March 1992.  The trees were protected from animal damage by tree guards.  Bracken quickly grew over the newly cleared area and had to be controlled by a one-off application of the herbicide Azulox.  As part of the management of hazel for dormice, the trees are allowed to grow for about 15 years before some of them will be coppiced. 

This involves cutting down some of the trees near the base, which allows the others to spread outwards.  Over a period of time, this creates interlocking horizontal branches, an ideal habitat for dormice to move around in.  The Dormice area  will not all be coppiced in the same year.  Over a period of time, coppicing of different areas will create a patchwork of hazel trees at different heights, creating a rich and varied habitat.