Paradise Wood facts for kids

Paradise Wood is a special woodland in Oxfordshire, England. It's like a giant outdoor laboratory! Here, scientists and researchers study different kinds of trees. Their goal is to find the best ways to grow strong, healthy hardwood trees. It's the biggest collection of hardwood tree experiments in Britain.

The Earth Trust, an environmental charity, started planning Paradise Wood in 1992. Tree planting began in 1993. A person named Gabriel Hemery first thought of and developed this research woodland. It was created to help improve the quality and growth of hardwood trees. The plan is for the woodland to eventually cover 55 hectares, which is about 136 acres. Many of the experiments here are looked after by the Future Trees Trust.

On the north side of Paradise Wood, a smaller community woodland was planted in 2005. This was to remember the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. It was named after HMS Neptune, a ship from that battle. This area is open to the public for free. It also has some special oak tree experiments.

Research Trials at Paradise Wood

Paradise Wood is home to many important research projects. These trials help experts learn how to grow trees better. They also help trees deal with challenges like diseases or climate change.

Ash Tree Research

Ash trees are very important in Britain.

• A special area called a Breeding Seedling Orchard for ash trees was set up in 1993. This was done with the Future Trees Trust.
• This research has become super important recently. A serious tree disease called ash dieback arrived in Britain in 2012. It was first seen in Paradise Wood in 2015.
• This ash tree experiment is part of a bigger project called the Living Ash Project. It aims to find ash trees that can survive the disease.

Beech Tree Research

• In 2005, a provenance trial for beech trees was started. A provenance trial means growing trees from different places to see which ones grow best. This trial was for Forest Research and an EU research group.

Cherry Tree Research

• A special experiment with wild cherry trees began in 2005. This was a "clonal trial." This means they were growing trees that are exact copies (clones) of other trees. This project helped develop special cherry trees called WildStar TM clones.

Oak Tree Research

• There is a provenance trial for oak trees here. The oak trees were collected from all over the UK and Ireland. This helps researchers find the best oak trees for different areas.

Walnut Tree Research

• Paradise Wood has a provenance trial for walnut trees. These walnut trees came from Kyrgyzstan and 12 other countries across Asia and Europe.
• Another experiment looks at silviculture for walnut trees. Silviculture is about how trees are grown and managed. This trial tests growing walnut trees with other types of trees and shrubs. Some of these are nitrogen fixing trees, which help make the soil richer.
• There is also a trial for hybrid walnut trees. Hybrid trees are created by crossing two different types of trees.

Agroforestry: Trees and Chickens!

• From the 2000s, an interesting experiment called PINE (Poultry In Natural Environments) took place. This project looked at "silvo-poultry." This means raising free-range chickens, called broilers, under newly planted trees. It was a good way to raise chickens and grow trees at the same time. It also seemed to be a good way to make money.

Volunteering at Paradise Wood

In 2012, the Earthwatch Institute started a program here. Earthwatch is a group that connects volunteers with scientists. The program is called "Paradise Wood - Experimental Plantation in England."

This special project is run by Earthwatch and the Earth Trust together. It lets volunteers join studies to help forest managers. Volunteers learn how to grow trees successfully, especially with changes in our climate. It's a great way to help with important environmental research!