Ancient forests and abandoned coppices in Surrey could become productive woodland again with the appointment of a key expert.

The Surrey Hills Board has appointed former woodsman, countryside ranger and tree safety consultant Sean Harrison to the post of Surrey Hills woodlands advisor.

He has been tasked with identifying pockets of neglected, privately-owned woodland, in particular mapping areas of ancient woodland, in and around the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The Surrey Hills AONB is one of 34 nationally protected landscapes in England, having equal landscape status and protection to a National Park.

The Surrey Hills AONB was designated in May 1958 - the first AONB in southern England to be designated – and stretches across a quarter of Surrey.

It includes the chalk slopes of Reigate Hill and the North Downs from Farnham in the west to Oxted in the east, and extends south to the deeply wooded Greensand Hills which rise in Haslemere.

The aim of Mr Harrison's appointment is to encourage farmers and landowners to bring woods back into management for timber, wood fuel, conservation and biodiversity.

He will help them apply for the Forestry Commission’s English Woodland Grant Scheme, which funds woodland management plans, tree planting or working with existing woodland to increase biodiversity, up to 50% of the costs.

Surrey Hills Board press officer Jane Garrett said: “Surrey is the most heavily wooded county in England, yet most of its woods are rank and neglected because they are small parcels amongst farmland, which have been unprofitable to manage.”

She said: “This is changing. Surrey now has an established and growing wood fuel industry and these small woods are now potentially viable.”

Through the work of the woodlands adviser, she said: “The aim is to bring these derelict woods back into management to produce a timber harvest, but also to increase wildlife habitats and biodiversity.”

Mr Harrison said: “This is the first time the Surrey Hills has had someone dedicated to woodland, and it’s very exciting.”

He said: “It is great for the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I will be finding the woods that are not currently being managed, tracking down their owners and engaging with them.”

About 40% of Surrey – some 167,715 acres – is given over to trees.

The woods are mostly a patchwork of small scattered copses that historically have not been financially viable to manage, and which, over the last 60 years, have become very neglected.

The Board has said that managing these woods would provide a wider range of wildlife habitats and increase biodiversity, as well as providing a harvest of timber.

Mr Harrison's role is part-funded by the Forestry Commission, the Woodland Trust and the Silva Forest Foundation, and he will be working with the website MyForest.com He said: “Once woodland management plans are in place, I will try to ensure that responsible contractors are brought in to look after the trees.

“I’m talking to local contractors, making them aware of the forest resources in their area, and suggesting that by working together they would be in a better position to maximise returns.

“I also want to link isolated woods by creating hedgerow corridors and planting new woods, and I will be raising awareness of the market for wood fuel and getting material into the wood fuel chain.”

Mr Harrison will be based at the Surrey Hills AONB offices at Warren Farm Barns, Headley Lane, Mickleham.

Farmers, landowners and contractors wishing to discuss potential for woodland management should call him on 01372 220650.

The Surrey Hills Board is a joint management committee funded by Natural England, the National Trust, Surrey County Council and the local authorities within the Surrey Hills area. Website: www.surreyhills.org