MORE TREES FOR THE FOREST

320,000 more trees will be planted in The National Forest this year, thanks to the success of this year’s National Forest Tender Scheme. The winners were announced recently at a special event held in Leicestershire, at Conkers Waterside.

The successful schemes range in size from 4.56 ha (11.2 acres) to 57.6 ha (142 acres). Highlights of the 17 winning schemes include a new apple orchard with local varieties such as Newton Wonder and Annie Elizabeth (first grown from a pip in an allotment in Knighton, Leicester, in 1857); nature conservation features such as the provision of bat and owl boxes, raptor posts, and longer grassland to encourage amphibians and reptiles; the creation of hay meadows and the planting of rare native Black poplar trees. Particularly significant is a new swathe of Forest to be created near Swepstone in Leicestershire.

The Hon David Legh DL High Sheriff of Derbyshire presented the awards. He said: “There is absolutely no doubt that The National Forest is one of the brightest shining jewels in the rural environment. The success is quite literally there to see and for all of us to share – and feel proud of.”

National Forest Company Chair Dinah Nichols said: “Each of these schemes is of a very high quality. This is essential if we are to maintain the standards of our woodlands, foster an environment that adds to people’s quality of life and provide a good experience for visitors - and to retain political support.”

The Tender Scheme is the National Forest Company’s (NFC) unique method of woodland creation. Under the Tender Scheme landowners (and anyone who would like to own land in the Forest) can apply for funds from the NFC to carry out work on land as their contribution to the creation of The National Forest.

As well as adding significant numbers of trees to the Forest, this year’s schemes open up 218 ha (540 acres) of land for the general public to enjoy with full informal access, and will take the percentage of woodland cover throughout the 200 square miles of the Forest to just over 17%.

Anyone interested in creating woodland in The National Forest should contact Hugh Williams on 01283 551211.