Thames Chase facts for kids

This path goes through White Post Wood. It's part of Belhus Country Park and Thames Chase.

Thames Chase is a special kind of green space called a community forest. It covers a huge area of about 9,842 hectares (that's like 24,320 football fields!). You can find it across 47 different spots in London and Essex, England.

The main goal of Thames Chase is to make the land around East London and South Essex greener and more lively. They want to create a beautiful, varied landscape with lots of trees. This way, local people can help create it, use it, enjoy it, and take care of it.

Thames Chase has been managed as a community forest since 1990. It has a main centre located near Upminster. Around the centre, you'll find 56 hectares (about 138 acres) of new woodlands, open meadows, and peaceful ponds.

Exploring Thames Chase: Where to Visit

Thames Chase is made up of many different parks and woodlands. These places are spread across several areas. Here are some of the main locations where you can explore this community forest:

In London

• 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

In Essex

• Near Brentwood:
  • Shenfield Common
  • Thorndon Country Park
  • Three other sites close to Warley
• Mardyke Valley: This area follows the Mardyke River. It runs from near Brentwood all the way to the River Thames at Purfleet. There are four sites here.
• Near Aveley: Six sites are located in this area. These include Belhus Country Park and Kennington Park.

Who Manages Thames Chase?

The Thames Chase Joint Committee helps guide how the community forest grows and develops. This committee is made up of people from different local councils. They work together to make sure Thames Chase continues to be a great place for everyone.

The committee includes three members from each of these councils:

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