Heart of England Forest facts for kids

The Heart of England Forest is a special charity working to bring back woodlands across England. For hundreds of years, many forests were cut down. This charity wants to reverse that trend. They are planting new trees and protecting old forests.

This amazing forest is mostly located in Warwickshire, England. Some parts are also in Worcestershire. It stretches from the ancient Forest of Arden down towards the Vale of Evesham.

So far, the charity has planted over 1.3 million trees. These trees cover about 3,000 acres of new woodland. This area goes from Honeybourne in the south to the Spernall Estate in the north. They also look after 600 acres of very old woodlands.

The Heart of England Forest charity was started by Felix Dennis. Today, a group of five trustees leads the charity. Jon Snow became their chairman in June 2014.

Exploring the Forest

The Heart of England Forest welcomes visitors to explore its beautiful woodlands. They have created special footpaths and easy-to-use routes. This means more people can enjoy nature.

In 2015, they opened their first car parks near Dorsington. They also added clear walking trails. More car parks and trails are being planned for the future.

The charity also works with local schools. They offer a fun outdoor classroom experience. There's a safe "Wild Wood" zone where school groups visit every week. This allows children from both towns and cities to learn about nature firsthand. It's a great way to get hands-on lessons in the outdoors.

Planting New Trees

The Heart of England Forest plants only native broadleaf trees. These are trees that naturally grow in England. Examples include English Oak, Alder, Birch, and Rowan. They make sure the forest is full of local species.

The charity plants about 300 acres of new trees each year. This planting usually happens between November and April. In the 2015/2016 season, they planted around 170,000 trees. This was their biggest planting season ever!

They even have their own tree nursery. Here, they grow young trees, called saplings, from seeds. Currently, about 30% of the oak trees they plant come from their own nursery. Their goal is to grow all the saplings they need in the future.

The forest is designed with wide paths, also called rides. These paths make the forest easy to walk through. They also let in lots of light and air, making the forest bright and welcoming.

The Forest's Founder

The idea for the Heart of England Forest came from Felix Dennis. He was an English businessman and landowner. He loved nature and wanted to bring trees back to the area. His dream was to create a "joined-up" woodland. This would be a continuous forest.

He imagined a forest that would help wildlife move around safely. It would also be a bright and airy place for everyone to enjoy. In 1996, Felix Dennis planted his first small wood near his home. This was in Dorsington, Warwickshire. In 2003, he officially started the charity. Felix Dennis passed away in 2014, but his vision lives on.