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camp sites, and a café and arts centre. The success of the Heart of England Forest and the Northern Forest comes at a time when government’s tree planting levels are lacking. In 2016, for example, the planting rates were dramatically low, with the government planting just 700ha – against its target of 5,000ha.
What problems does the forest and the initiative face? The main threat to our woodland will be climate change, along with the associated pest and diseases that are new to this country. We hope the species mix we’ve used will be largely resilient to climate change, pests and diseases. Another challenge could be purchasing the land to create the forest. We are 10% of the way to our aim of planting about 30,000 acres of woodland, so still have a large amount of land to buy. We need funds to buy the land, and we need that land to be available. What are your plans for the future? We have lots of exciting plans for the future, to complement our core tree planting activities. Two that we are working on at the moment are agroforestry, working with our organic farm team to produce top quality beef and lamb in the
Here and right: Charlotte Wright Photography
Charlotte Doran Davies (charlottedorandavies.co.uk)
Which species of tree do you focus on within the forest? We plant 27 species of native broadleaf trees and shrubs, with a focus on establishing oak woodland; as such, about 40% of the species mix is oak. Other species include hornbeam, small-leaved lime, sweet chestnut, wild service, wild cherry, birch and rowan.
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forest, and educational activity, with the aim to deliver forest schools and collaborate with universities on meaningful forest-related research. Can you tell us a little bit about what goes into planning and planting a forest? Assuming we own the land, it can take up to two years of planning before we can put a tree in the ground. For all our woodland creation, we need permission from the Forestry Commission before we can go ahead. As part of the consent, we have to show we have consulted on heritage, ecology and landscape with stakeholders such as the District and County Councils, or on the impact on water with the Environment Agency. We also consult our woodland creation sites’ neighbours. All of this will influence the design of the woodland. An important feature of our woodland is internal open space. Be it wide tracks or small glades, this provides more woodland margin, increasing biodiversity and habitats. We plant in the tree dormancy period, between November and March. The trees are 40-60cm and either bare root or cell grown. We have our own tree nursery, staffed by volunteers, which produces upwards of 30,000 of the 100,000-plus trees we plant each year. The planting is undertaken by our own staff, volunteers and local contractors. Do you think the Northern Forest is a worthwhile investment? All tree planting is a worthwhile investment, so we would certainly support the creation of the Northern Forest. We would also welcome support for the creation of a ‘Midlands Lung’, of which the Heart of England Forest can be an important part.
ABOUT Stephen Coffey is the head forester at The Heart of England Forest, which offers events such as tree planting days and guided walks through the forest. To find out more, visit: www.heartofenglandforest.com
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