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Ancient woodland restoration appeal 

Be part of the fight to save ancient woodland, before it's too late. 

Almost half the UK’s ancient woodland is badly damaged. Together, we can bring it back to life. 

These centuries-old ecosystems are irreplaceable and once gone, they're gone for good. At the Woodland Trust, reviving these vital habitats back to life is one of our biggest challenges and our greatest responsibilities. But we can’t do it without you. 

Your donation, no matter the size, will make an immediate and tangible difference. It will go to support our vital conservation work across the UK, including sites like our latest acquisitions Harrison Woodlands and Buckland Wood – both are in incredibly poor condition following decades of decline caused by non-native conifer plantations, invasive species and unchecked deer grazing.

They’re just two examples that need immediate, expert attention. There are many more ancient woods across all four nations in the UK that need our help.

Thanks to our supporters, Harrison Woodlands is now under our care. We have already begun the vital restoration work to create a thriving habitat for wildlife once more.

Credit: Phil Formby / WTML

Only 2.5% of the UK is ancient woodland and around 40% of it has been damaged by commercial plantations. Yet, these habitats are among the richest and most important in the country. 

Thousands of species rely on them including threatened ones like pine marten, dormice and British wood white butterfly. Centuries of undisturbed soils and accumulated decaying wood have created the perfect place for communities of fungi and invertebrates, but they need light and warmth to wake them up.

When ancient woodland is in good, healthy condition, it also supports other specialist species of insects, birds and mammals.

Ancient woodlands are rare, fragile and irreplaceable. They're home to thousands of species, including rare species like the British wood white butterfly.

Credit: Andy Sands / naturepl.com

Ancient woodland fights climate change 

Ancient woodland plays a vital role in climate mitigation, storing 77 million tonnes of carbon in its trees and soil. This figure is set to triple over the next century as they continue to soak up and store an extra 1.8 million tonnes of carbon each year. 

Many are part of the UK’s dwindling temperate rainforest – lush, moss-draped ecosystems that are vital, beautiful and under threat. 

Help us protect what can’t be replaced 

Ancient woods take centuries to form but they can be lost at any time from threats like development, overgrazing and air pollution. We've already saved over 1,100 ancient woodlands but thousands more are in urgent need of rescue. With your support, we can continue our important conservation work across the UK.

Our expert teams use innovative techniques to restore ancient woods and help nature recover. For example, we: 

  • remove invasive species
  • gradually thin non-native conifers
  • rewild soil and undergrowth
  • create the conditions for rare wildlife to thrive again.

This is vital, complex and costly work, and we can't continue without the ongoing generosity of our supporters. Over the years, we’ve seen what’s possible when we restore ancient woods as thriving havens for wildlife. 

Our restoration efforts help create havens for wildlife – including threatened species like pine marten.

Credit: Aileen Louden / WTML

I know we are only here as custodians of the woods we own and care for – it’s our duty to leave them in a better state so the next generations of people and wildlife can benefit from them. But we must keep up the fight for a healthier future for nature, people and planet.

Dr. Darren Moorcroft
Chief Executive, Woodland Trust

Ancient woodland restoration in action

Here are just a few examples across the UK where the generosity of our supporters has made a powerful difference.

Credit: Phil Formby / WTML

Buckland Wood, Devon 

Our latest acquisition is a precious fragment of the UK’s temperate rainforest that is beginning its journey back to life, thanks to your support. Based on what we’ve learned from restoring neighbouring Ausewell, we know that Buckland Wood has the potential to support many threatened species, including mammals like dormice, otters and 12 species of bats, as well as breeding winter migrant birds like goshawk and peregrine falcon. 

The restoration ahead is complex but full of promise. With your help, we’ll be gradually thinning non-native conifers, removing invasive species, and managing light levels, ground flora and deadwood. It won’t happen overnight, but together, we’re helping Buckland Wood become a thriving, healthy ancient woodland once more. 

Credit: Phil Formby / WTML

Harrison Woodlands, Lincolnshire

Purchased in early 2025, we have already started working on restoring this magnificent but damaged ancient wood. Fences and gates have been installed to keep people safe during restoration work and completed site surveys are helping us plan the next steps. Essential tree safety work is scheduled for this autumn so we can welcome visitors in early 2026.

Monitoring onsite is underway too. Fixed-point photography locations will help us keep a visual track of our progress and an invertebrate survey, now halfway complete, will be repeated in future years to help us assess the health of the habitat. 

Credit: Mark Zytynski / WTML

Wentwood, Monmouthshire

Wentwood is part of the largest block of ancient woodland in Wales and is a remnant of the continuous forest that once stretched from the River Usk to the Wye.

But its history tells a story of loss: over the last century, war and industry devastated this woodland. Most of its broadleaved trees were felled during the two world wars and by the 1960s all the woodland we now own was replanted with conifers. 

We bought part of Wentwood in 2006 and it became our largest plantation on ancient woodland site (PAWS) in the UK. Since then, we’ve thinned the conifers to nurse it back to health. Today, Wentwood teems with wildlife again. It provides a diverse and important habitat for more than 70 species of bird, 23 species of butterfly and many rare species. 

Credit: Amanda Cogan Barber / WTML

Great Knott Wood, Cumbria

Most of Great Knott Wood was cleared and planted with conifers, mainly Norway spruce for Christmas trees and timber. But the trees were never harvested and they soon crowded out any remaining native trees. 

Since taking it on in 2004, we've been restoring the wood by gradually thinning the conifers to let light in. In 2021, Storm Arwen tore through the wood, with winds of up to 98mph accelerating our restoration efforts.

Using the traditional ‘snigging’ method of thinning, teams of Belgian Ardennes horses removed fallen logs from the steep slopes. Unlike machines, horses don’t compact the earth and by dragging out conifers with their branches intact, they scarify the soil, freeing dormant seeds and encouraging regeneration.

Credit: Edward Parker / WTML

Dering Wood, Kent

Located near Pluckley, this ancient semi-natural wood with a fascinating history stretching back to medieval times, is brimming with life again. 

We removed non-native conifers and invasive species like rhododendron, allowing sunlight to reach the ancient glades. Coppiced broadleaf trees now mirror the woodland once managed under Sir Edward Dering in the 19th century. Dormice, nightingale, and many species of butterfly and fungi are flourishing. Our careful restoration has boosted biodiversity and safeguarded the site’s heritage. 

Credit: Gwen Raes / WTML

Glen Finglas, The Trossachs

At the heart of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park lies Glen Finglas. It’s unrecognisable from the property we took on in 1996 and a shining example of what the Trust does and believes in, and what long-term restoration can achieve. 

Over 25 years, we’ve planted, protected and restored the largest site in our care. Once a neglected landscape, today Glen Finglas has transformed into a flourishing mosaic of healthy habitats and is a haven for wildlife. We’ve seen an increase in all kinds of species, from woodland mammals and birds of prey to fascinating flora and fungi. We regularly spot golden eagle, pine marten, otter and red squirrel. 

Credit: Jill Jennings / WTML

Mourne Park, County Down

Ancient woodland cover is scarce across the UK but in Northern Ireland the situation is even more dire at just 0.04%. That’s why saving Mourne Park was so urgent. Apart from being absolutely stunning, it harbours an unusual amount of ancient and veteran trees, making it a rare and special place. 

In 2021, we began a mammoth restoration effort. We’ve made significant progress in controlling invasive species like rhododendron and cherry laurel, planting and protecting new trees, and sustaining vital corridors for wildlife such as red squirrel and pine marten. Our important work means that Mourne is waking up. It has transformed to a place where people and nature thrive together. 

Be part of the vital fight to save our ancient woodlands

We're at the forefront of restoring and protecting the UK's ancient woods – but to continue our fight, we need your support. Thanks to you, we've seen what's possible when we act together – from Devon to the Trossachs, and Kent to County Down. 

But the work is far from over. Countless ancient woods across the UK are crying out for help. 

Please donate to our conservation work across the UK today. Every donation supports our vital work, including safeguarding these irreplaceable habitats for centuries to come. 

Prefer to donate offline?

By phone 

Call us on 0330 333 3300 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, and our friendly team will be there to assist.

By post

Send a cheque to our head office at Ancient Woodland Restoration Appeal, Woodland Trust, Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL. Please make cheques payable to the Woodland Trust.