The National Forest (England) facts for kids
The National Forest is a special project in the middle of England. It's all about planting lots of trees to create a huge new forest! This project is managed by a group called The National Forest Company.
Since the 1990s, a large area of land, about 200 square miles (518 km2), has been part of this project. This area covers parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire. The idea is to mix old, ancient woodlands with new trees that are being planted. The forest stretches from the edge of Leicester in the east to Burton upon Trent in the west. It's planned to connect two very old forests: Needwood and Charnwood.
In 2018, the UK government also announced plans for another new forest, called the Northern Forest. This one will stretch across England from Liverpool to Hull, following the M62 motorway.
The National Forest Company: Who Manages It?
The National Forest Company is a group that helps make the National Forest happen. It was started in 1995 and is a "not-for-profit" organisation, which means it doesn't aim to make money for itself. Instead, any money it gets goes back into the project.
This company is supported by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is a part of the UK government. Their main goal is to turn about one-third of the land within the National Forest area (about 52 square miles or 33,280 acres) into woodland. They do this by encouraging landowners to plant trees on their land.
The National Forest is often called "a forest in the making" because it's still growing and developing. It's hoped that this project will also help bring more visitors to the area and create new jobs related to forestry and tourism.
So far, around 8.5 million trees have been planted! This has made the amount of woodland in the area more than three times bigger, growing from 6% to 20% of the land.
Planting Trees: What Kinds?
Most of the trees planted in the National Forest, about 85%, are native broadleaf species. This means they are types of trees that naturally grow in England and have wide, flat leaves that usually fall off in autumn.
Some of the most common types of trees you'll find planted here include:
- English oak
- Ash
- Poplar
- Corsican pine
- Scots pine
The landscape is really starting to change! The first tiny trees, called whips, that were planted in the early 1990s are now growing into much bigger, strong trees.
Fun Places to Visit in The National Forest
The National Forest has many interesting places to explore. Right in the middle of the forest, you'll find Conkers. This is a popular visitor centre located near the village of Moira, Leicestershire, offering lots of activities and things to see.
There's also another visitor centre at Rosliston where you can enjoy wildlife walks and playgrounds.
Here are some other attractions you can visit within or near the National Forest:
- Ashby Canal
- Ashby Castle, in Ashby-de-la-Zouch
- Ashby de-la-Zouch museum
- Bardon Hill - the highest point in the National Forest, at 912 feet (278 meters) above sea level
- Battlefield Line Railway
- Beacon Hill, Leicestershire
- Bradgate Park
- Calke Abbey, in Ticknall
- Claymills Victorian Pumping Station
- Croxall Lakes
- Donington le Heath Manor House
- Flagship Diamond Wood
- Foremark Reservoir, in Foremark
- Fradley Junction
- Grace Dieu Priory
- Kedleston Hall
- Loughborough Outwoods
- Melbourne Hall
- Moira Furnace
- Mount St. Bernard Abbey
- National Memorial Arboretum
- Rosliston Forestry Centre
- Seale Wood
- Sence Valley Forest Park
- Sharpe's Pottery Museum
- Staunton Harold Reservoir
- Sudbury Hall
- Swithland Wood
- The National Forest Maze
- T.G.Green Cornishware Archive Museum
- Thornton Reservoir
- Tropical Birdland, Leicestershire
- Twycross Zoo
The towns of Ashby de la Zouch, Burton upon Trent, Swadlincote, and Coalville are also located within the National Forest area.
