Name revealed for largest native forest
New name for England’s largest new native forest has been revealed. The Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, has named the 345 hectare (850 acre) site Heartwood Forest, and it hopes the new name will give a further boost to its fundraising appeal.
Although the Trust bought the land on which to create Heartwood Forest at the beginning of October, it still needs donations to plant 600,000 trees and manage the site for the next five years, so is continuing with its £8.5 million appeal. To donate telephone 0845 293 5858 or visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/heartwood
The new name summarises the key concepts represented by the forest and was chosen as a result of suggestions from outside and within the Trust. It signifies the Trust’s woodland creation work and the location of the new forest site in Hertfordshire.
The Trust chose the name Heartwood Forest from a list of suggestions because of its appropriate associations with the new forest:
- Heart playfully combines ‘Hert’, for the location in Hertfordshire, and ‘Hart’ an old English word for stag – the symbol of Hertfordshire.
- Small-leafed lime trees, such as those found in Heartwood Forest, have heart-shaped leaves. Small-leaved lime trees are increasingly rare and a sure indicator of ancient woodland.
- Heartwood is a central hardwood core found in many broadleaved trees. As the tree ages, it is this hollowing heartwood which often supports hundreds of rare and threatened species of wildlife, and helps it to survive for many years by recycling nutrients as it decays.
- The heart is a life-giving organ and trees are the life force of this planet. This new forest will be a much needed lifeline for the UK’s diminished native woodland. It will also be a great outdoor space in which people can experience all the benefits of exercise and getting closer to nature.
- The Trust hopes the new forest will be a green heart at the centre of its woodland creation work - a thriving new habitat for wildlife for everyone to enjoy.
The new name was revealed as Heartwood Forest project manager Toby Bancroft installed new name signs around the site on Thursday morning.
“It’s fantastic to finally have a new name for the site,” said Toby Bancroft. “We opened up several pathways through Heartwood Forest across 170 acres as soon as we got the keys to Heartwood Forest four weeks ago as the rest is still under cultivation. It will become available for public access at the rate of 70 hectares (170 acres) per year as tree planting progresses.”
The Woodland Trust plans to plant 600,000 trees at Heartwood Forest over the next few years and hopes to involve lots of members of the public, including children, at every stage. Within two years a tree will be twice the size of the child that planted it. After that, the trees will grow rapidly, up to six metres (20 feet) or so within just 12 years and Heartwood Forest will become a thriving new habitat for wildlife and a destination for everyone to enjoy. It is already open for everyone to enjoy.
Heartwood Forest has three pockets of ancient woodland totalling 44 acres, nestled in the folds of the hills. The Woodland Trust will plant new native broadleaved trees in the new forest to buffer and protect the surviving ancient woodland and its precious wildlife.
Sadly, the UK is one of the least-wooded countries in Europe. England has lost half its ancient woodland since the 1930s, either to development, agriculture or planting with non-native conifers. Only 4.87 per cent of the UK is native ancient woodland, the UK’s richest wildlife habitat and its equivalent of the rainforest. In England, this is broadleaved trees like oak, ash, alder, hawthorn, small-leafed lime and hornbeam.
Sites of ancient woodland have existed for at least 400 years. Many have been in existence for much longer and are probably remnants of the ‘wild wood’ that once covered vast swathes of the pre-Iron Age British Isles.
Ancient woodland has attracted specialised flora and fauna because of the soil conditions which have developed undisturbed over the centuries – a result of particular light and moisture conditions, and the interactions plants, animals, soils, climate and people over hundreds of years. If disturbed by development or encroached upon by cultivation, the special ecosystem that is ancient woodland is destroyed forever and the huge variety of plants and animals, some of which live only in ancient woodland like herb paris and wood anemone, is lost.
TV gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh knows the area well. He studied horticulture and developed his childhood passion for plants and wildlife during his time at nearby Oaklands College. He said: “I was delighted to hear about the Woodland Trust’s plans to create England’s largest new native forest.
“I believe green spaces are incredibly important, for wildlife and for people, and this is a wonderful opportunity for both. In particular, the community benefits will be tremendous – Heartwood Forest will be open to everyone and will hopefully become an inspiration for the millions of people living nearby.
“People will also be able to get involved in every step of its creation – voicing views and ideas at public meetings, getting their hands dirty by helping to plant over half a million trees at the site and looking after those trees as they get established and flourish.”
Alan Titchmarsh also commented on the pressure on the country’s green spaces. “Our woodlands have been steadily disappearing for years, particularly in the post-war period due to pressures from industry and development, and much of Hertfordshire is now under renewed pressure for housing. It’s fantastic to see the Woodland Trust making such a big commitment to turn the tide and plant much-needed new trees,“ he said.
Press images - downloadable images, reproduction free for editorial use at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/heartwood
Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, email: media@woodlandtrust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters.
The Trust has three key aims: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free.