BABY boomer trees have boosted a Northumberland forest’s production to new heights.

It is anticipated that up to two million trees will be felled this year in Kielder Water & Forest Park.

That rate is expected to be maintained for around five years as conifers planted in the years after the Second World War become ready for harvesting.

About 440,000 tonnes of timber worth around £12m will be produced in Kielder this year – over 25% of all the wood harvested in England.

And the scale of the operation is creating “timber tourism”.

Last year the Forestry Commission took people behind the scenes in the 155,000-acre forest to watch trees being felled by huge £300,00 harvesting machines.

Nearly all the tours were sold out and forest chiefs are back with another series of working forest visits this summer.

They take place on Tuesdays from July 26 to August 30, but places are limited so people have to book on 01434 250209.

Neville Geddes, planning and environment manager with the Forestry Commission, said that 60% of the timber will go to North East sawmills. It will be turned into a range of products, ranging from construction wood and woodchip to fencing and pallets.

The surge in production is due to the high number of trees planted after the Second World War – when two thirds of Kielder took root.

Mr Geddes said that the first mass planting, mainly of Sitka spruce, happened after the First World War in response to shortages caused by enemy disruption of imports.