Welcome to the Woodland Trust

We are the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. We plant about half a million trees every year. We are restoring over 100 ancient woodland sites. We have over 115,000 members and thanks to their loyal support we protect more than 1,100 woods.

Almost without exception, our woods are open to everyone to enjoy.

Trees and forests are crucial to life on our planet. They generate oxygen, play host to a spectacular variety of wildlife and provide us with raw materials and shelter. They offer us tranquillity, inspire us and refresh our souls.

A world without trees would be barren, impoverished and intolerable.

The facts

• The UK is one of Europe’s least wooded countries.

• Ancient woodland is home to more threatened species than any other habitat in the UK.

• Half of the ancient broadleaved woodland that had survived until the 1930s has now been lost.

• 85 per cent of ancient woodland has no legal designation to protect it from outside threats.

Keeping woodland alive

The Woodland Trust has a vision.

We want to see:

• no further loss of ancient woodland

• The variety of woodland wildlife restored and improved

• An increase in new native woodland

• An increase in people’s awareness and enjoyment of woodland.

Action today for woods tomorrow

We care deeply about trees. We treasure their natural beauty, their health giving benefits and the myriad species they support. So the Woodland Trust is taking action now to protect and restore precious native woods.
Speaking out:
We lobby Governments to secure sound policies for woodland and we forge partnerships with other organisations for the benefit of woods throughout the UK. We use a wide range of media to spread the word and help people to rediscover nature.
Caring for woods
We save woods and ensure that all those in our care are practically managed so that the trees and the many woodland species will survive and thrive. All our woods have Forest Stewardship Council certification for sustainable management.
Planting trees
Working with local people, our Woods on your Doorstep* project has created 250 new woods throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Through this initiative alone we have planted nearly two million trees. In Scotland our woodland restoration work is taking place on a grand scale.
(*Woods on your Doorstep sites are funded by the Millennium Commission, The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts and the Forestry Commission.)
Woodland for all
Around 12,000,000 visits are made to our woods every year.
With over 1,100 woods in our care across the UK, we are able to help people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy and learn from them.
Counting the cost
Without funding, none of this could have been achieved. Typically, 82p in every pound is spent directly on our charitable objectives (five year average).

How you can help

Become a member
Join us and receive a woodland directory, free poster and our colour magazine, Broadleaf. For every new member, we can protect another half acre of woodland. To find out more about becoming a member, click here or call Freephone 0800 026 9650
Make a donation
Every penny counts and is spent where it matters most. Click here to make a donation or call Freephone 0800 026 9650
Plant a tree
Use our dedication scheme to help wildlife and mark a special event - click here or call Freephone 0800 026 9650
Please help us to keep woodland alive.

Some examples of action we are taking today to help woods tomorrow:

Wet and wild
Set on the rugged west coast, Crinan Wood affords Scotland a prime example of its very own rainforest. The mild, moist and unpolluted atmosphere makes it a haven for lichens, mosses and thirteen species of fern. This old oakwood supports badgers and otters as well as offering breathtaking views of the Inner Hebrides.

Big and beautiful
By far the largest of our woods at 10,000 acres, Glen Finglas is set in the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. This giant has attracted tourists for over 200 years who come to marvel at its panoramic mountainous landscapes and natural wonders. Here we are working to create one of the largest native broadleaved forests in Scotland.

Tiny treasure
Less than two acres in size, Scaleber Wood in the Yorkshire Dales inspired the composer, Edward Elgar. Set in a rocky landscape of crags, gorges and boasting a spectacular waterfall, the wooded area lies in a deep ravine. This little gem plays host to myriad plants which thrive on the limestone rock.

The aviary
With new and mature woods, wetlands, wildflower meadows and the rare majestic black poplar, over 70 different types of bird have made Willesley Wood in Leicestershire their home. This award-winning woodland creation site is one of 20 Woodland Trust properties in the National Forest.

The escapee
Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Penn Wood in Buckinghamshire was condemned to become a playground for golfers and paintballers. Local people and the Woodland Trust campaigned relentlessly to save one of Britain’s largest remaining areas of ancient woodland. On the eve of the millennium, this irreplaceable wood was rescued at last.

Born again
Hucking Estate in Kent was falling victim to the rigours of intensive agriculture. An overzealous farmer denied public access and flouted tree preservation orders. But here, we have undertaken the largest community woodland scheme in south east England. Now, the wildlife – and people – can make the most of this lovely landscape once more.

The storyteller
Once a route for smuggling spirits, Millook Valley Woods are steeped in history. A carved stone marks the marriage of a 17th century couple who were killed while eloping. A curse is said to befall anyone who removes this stone from Cornwall. Sinister it may sound, but this network of six woods is exceptionally rich in natural variety.

Working wood
Blackened patches of earth in Priory Grove in the Wye Valley tell of a centuries old industry. Coppicing trees yielded a plentiful supply of raw materials for charcoal making, without upsetting the delicate natural balance. Priory Grove is part of a network of Trust owned woods in the Wye Valley which is one of the most important woodland conservation areas in Europe.

Old timer
At Gaer Fawr in Powys there’s something hidden in the ancient woodland. Gaer Fawr actually means Great Camp. An amazing Iron Age hillfort dominated the local landscape over 2000 years ago affording the best views of the River Severn for miles around. The Woodland Trust is making sure this fantastic piece of history is preserved by careful management of the surrounding woods.

The haven
Drumlamph Wood is known to have existed since at least 1600 AD. Such fragments of once extensive forests are still vulnerable, yet they are our country’s richest wildlife habitat. As the Trust’s first ancient woodland in Northern Ireland, Drumlamph is now given the expert care it deserves and has become a safe haven for its very special wild inhabitants such as the endangered red squirrel.

For Woodland Trust contact information, click here

An audio tape version of the 'welcome' leaflet will be available from the Woodland Trust shortly.

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