Thames Chase facts for kids

This is a path through White Post Wood, part of Belhus Country Park and Thames Chase

Thames Chase is a community forest of 9842 hectares (24,320 acres/38 square miles) located in 47 sites in London and Essex, England. Its stated aim is "to renew and regenerate the landscape at the edge of East London and South Essex by creating Thames Chase, the Community Forest: a varied wooded landscape for local people to influence, create, use, enjoy and cherish".

It has been managed as a community forest since 1990. The forest centre is located near Upminster and is surrounded by 56 hectares (140 acres) of new woodlands, meadows and ponds.

List of sites

• London Borough of Havering
  • Berwick Glades
  • Berwick Woods
  • Bonnetts Wood
  • Hornchurch Country Park
  • Pages Wood
  • Ingrebourne Valley
  • Parklands
• London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
  • Central Park
  • Eastbrookend Country Park
  • The Chase Nature Reserve
  • Bretons Outdoor Centre
  • Beam Valley Country Park
• Essex
  • in the Brentwood area:
    • Shenfield Common
    • Thorndon Country Park
    • three sites near Warley
  • the Mardyke Valley running from near Brentwood to the River Thames at Purfleet (four sites)
  • in the Aveley area, six sites, including Belhus Country Park and Kennington Park

Thames Chase Joint Committee

The Thames Chase Joint Committee oversees development of the community forest. It comprises three members each from:

• Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council
• Brentwood Borough Council
• Essex County Council
• Havering London Borough Council
• Thurrock Council