A PAIR of sisters who own one of the country’s finest homes have enraged nature lovers by chopping down a huge swathe of woods during Spring mating season.
Tacky MacGregor, 41, and her older sibling Rags Titley, 45, own and live on the Came Estate in Dorset which has been in the family for 270 years.
The pair, who hit headlines when they fought over the killing and burning of pheasants on their land, have recently felled thousands of trees due to ash dieback disease at the country pad near Dorchester.
They have also removed trees and shrubs from ancient Bronze Age barrow cemeteries.
But fuming locals say the work is taking place at the “worst possible time” due to birds nesting and mammals raising their young.
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Local author and naturalist Claire Whiles said: “In the name of ash dieback there has been a complete and utter devastation of the land.
“I understand that they have to clear diseased trees, what I find so heartbreaking is the habitats that have been destroyed and why they have to do it at this time of year.
“All the birds are nesting, it’s the worst possible time of year.
“There’s nothing left, it is heartbreaking.“It is a gut wrenching and sad sight.“
I’m so sad, the birds would be trying to nest and raise their young, the squirrels are very misplaced.“It’s very sad they’ve chosen to do this at the worst time of year as possible.
“It’s not just the ash that’s come down, there’s beech, silver birch, holly and sycamore.
“We’ve got a huge variety of bird life, we’ve got deer, there’s buzzards, badgers, foxes, hares, all the wildlife you would expect in woodland.”
The estate, which includes the Grade I listed Palladian Came House, runs a pheasant shoot on its land and is also a popular country wedding venue.
The value of the felled logs is said to be worth more than £200,000.
And the estate is eligible for a 100 per cent grant for replanting.
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Another local said: “The wood is not just ash as many other species have now been felled.
“It is a huge areas of mixed woodland and a lot of wildlife.
“It's devastating to see an old wood completely decimated in a time we were supposed to be saving trees.
“Replacing the trees with take over 30 years.”
A sign placed on the land near the decimated woods said the estate is cutting down the trees as part of its woodland plan and will replace them with a mix of native species.
It says: “We are currently felling diseased ash in Came Wood. The trees being felled are suffering from ash dieback that leads to tree mortality and failure.
"The works are in accordance with the estate's long-term woodland plan, approved by the Forestry Commission.
"In addition, we are clearing trees from a number of ancient monuments with the support of English Heritage. All areas have been surveyed prior to harvesting.
"On completion of the works, any ground damage will be restored with the open areas replanted with a mix of native species.
"These works whilst significant will assist in the recovery of a number of habitats and species that have been in decline due to heavy shading and in time a more resilient woodland able to better cope with climate change, pests and diseases.
"Thank you for your patience and understanding."
Ash dieback is caused by a fungal organism called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. The disease causes leaf loss and crown dieback in affected trees and can lead to tree death.
Rob Greenhalgh, woodland officer for the Foresty Commission, said: “Although we advise felling to be conducted at certain times of the year there is no mandatory obligation for landowners to adhere to this.”
In 2019 the sisters were embroiled in a bitter row over what Ms MacGregor claimed was the unethical killing of pheasants on their property.
Ms MacGregor and her partner Michael Talbot claim they found a dozen pheasants on a bonfire near the stately home and described it as “obscene”.
She also accused her sister Rags of assaulting her but took it no further when quizzed by police.
In 2011 the family were hit with tragedy when Rags’ husband, journalist Charlie Norton, died falling from a cliff while on an adventure in Morocco.
Came Estate has been approached for a comment.
