[Mickey]

We have a large area of woodland with a pheasant pen of half an acre nestled inside it.  The ground within the pheasant pen must be covered with over a foot of fallen leaves from the woodland, it looks like the leaves have been building up for some years as some areas have rotted down.

Would I be advised to just leave the ground covered with the leaves or should I begin to tidy it up, perhaps making some leaf-mould or similar with it.  My inclination is to start the long task of tidying things up, we have already begun the job of brashing the fir trees that make up the pheasant pen area as the place is quite dark and would probably benefit from some light getting through to the ground.

Any advice appreciated greatly!
Thanks,
Mickey

[doganjo]

I'd remove some of it but not all, especially if you are thinning the trees anyway; and i'll bet the pheasants will enjoy picking it over afterwards 

[clydesdaleclopper]

I would leave it alone after all that is how forest soils get to be so good - the long slow build up of rotting leaves.

[Fleecewife]

Are these pine needles or deciduous leaves?  Deciduous leaves make lovely leaf mould, so if it was me I would use some of the leaves from within the pheasant enclosure to compost for the veg garden.  It will already have some added fertility from the pheasant droppings.  I don't think the forest floor would miss a bit of litter if you can use it in your garden.
I didn't like the sound of 'tidying up' what should be a natural area, but if it's just to crop a useful product for your veg patch then fine.
Pine needles are a different matter - they are acidic, so are fine as a mulch around strawberries and acid loving plants, but not much else, and they stop the woodland understory of spring flowers and so on from growing, even when the trees are cut back to let in more light.

[Marches Farmer]

Might be an idea to let in light in small clearings, rather than scattered single trees.  You'll probably be surprised at what's been laying dormant in the soil.  We had an underwoodsman live in our small wood for six months, doing just that, and the following year there was a whole new understorey of hazel trees, plus lots of wild flowers including primroses,, orchids and bluebells, as well as native grasses.  Piles of leaves and rotting wood are ideal for everything from hedgehogs to stag beetles.  "Tidy" and wildlife really don't go together.

[Mickey]

Thanks Guys, food for thought :-) 
What's an underwoodsman? 

[doganjo]

http://www.underwoodsman.co.uk/