South Yorkshire Forest facts for kids

Ulley Reservoir. Ulley Country Park was originally built as a reservoir in the 1870s to provide the town of Rotherham with drinking water. Situated within the South Yorkshire Forest, it is a scenic haven for wildlife.

The South Yorkshire Forest was a special project that started in 1991. It was part of a bigger plan to create beautiful green spaces across England. The main goal was to make the South Yorkshire area a nicer place to live and visit. They did this by improving woodlands, wetlands, farms, and even old industrial sites.

What Was the South Yorkshire Forest?

The South Yorkshire Forest was a partnership. This means different groups worked together. Their aim was to make the landscapes in South Yorkshire more attractive. They wanted to improve and bring new life to many different areas. This included forests, marshy lands, farms, grassy fields, old factory sites, and even places where people lived.

Who Was Part of the Project?

Many important groups joined the South Yorkshire Forest Partnership. These included:

• The Forestry Commission: This group helps manage forests and woodlands.
• Natural England: They work to protect and improve England's natural environment.
• The four local councils in South Yorkshire:
  • Sheffield City Council
  • Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

What Did the Partnership Do?

Between 2005 and 2015, the South Yorkshire Forest Partnership (SYFP) led many big projects. They received support from the European Union. This allowed them to invest millions of pounds. Their goal was to make South Yorkshire's environment better for local communities.

The SYFP also managed projects with partners in over 50 cities and regions. These projects stretched across North West Europe and the North Sea Region. Some of their projects included:

• VALUE+ (VALUE-Added)
• SEEDS - Stimulating enterprising environments for development and sustainability (SEEDS)
• APACHES - Attractive Public Areas Cluster (APACHES)
• Valuing Attractive Landscapes in the Urban Economy (VALUE)
• MP4 - Making Places Profitable (MP4)
• Creating a Setting for Investment (CSI) (Creating a Setting for Investment)

The partnership also hosted three big international meetings in Sheffield:

• SEEDS (2015) SEEDS Conference
• Green Growth New Shoots (2012) Green Growth New Shoots Conference
• Making Places Profitable (2006) Making Places Profitable Conference

The End of the Project

The South Yorkshire Forest Partnership closed down in 2016. From when it started to when it finished, the SYFP achieved a lot. They planted over 1 million trees. They also invested more than £32 million to improve the South Yorkshire area.