Forestry England announcement
After years of careful planning and development, Forestry England’s highly anticipated York Community Woodland is now officially open to the public.
This project, developed in collaboration with the City of York Council and the White Rose Forest, is a key component of Forestry England’s ambitious goal to plant at least 2,000 hectares of new woodland across the country by 2026. This initiative is supported by an investment of over £500 million from the £640 million Nature for Climate Fund for trees and woodlands in England between 2020 and 2025.
York Community Woodland is set to offer a wealth of benefits to the local community, fostering health and wellbeing by connecting people with nature. The woodland will also play a crucial role in enhancing the wider landscape by creating vibrant habitats to boost biodiversity, improving air quality, and mitigating soil erosion and flooding.
For the residents of York, the woodland offers more than just a place of natural beauty— it will provide miles of walking paths winding through the woodland, providing opportunities for exercise, relaxation, and connecting with others. Educational signage throughout the site will offer insights into the importance of woodland conservation and the specific species that call York Community Woodland home.
Over the past five years, 190,000 trees have been planted across the expansive 78 hectare site, an achievement made possible with the help of dedicated efforts from local volunteer groups.
Forestry England’s Forest Management Director in Yorkshire, Gareth Parry, said:
“The opening of York Community Woodland marks a significant milestone in Forestry England’s ambition to increase tree cover across the nation. Working with the City of York Council and the White Rose Forest has enabled us to collectively work on a shared mission to create and nurture resilient green spaces that benefit both people and wildlife.
This woodland stands as a powerful example of what communities can achieve together. I’m delighted to see this project come to life, knowing it will serve as a thriving natural sanctuary and a vital resource for generations to come.”
Cllr Jenny Kent, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, said:
“This is a real cause for celebration. Over 210,000 new trees have been planted, one for each resident of York, to create a wonderful space for nature and people alike, and help mitigate against some of our City’s carbon emissions. It was planned by the people of York, for the people of York and it is a tribute to unique partnership working with many wonderful volunteers, Forestry England, White Rose Forest and Defra. The project has already been recognised with several awards, including the John Boddy Award for best community woodland planted in Yorkshire over the last 15 years. We continue to increase our tree canopy across the City, planting 2,500 trees with the Green Streets programme this year alone and we hope everyone in York enjoys watching their new woodland grow and thrive.”
Guy Thompson, White Rose Forest Programme Director, said:
“York Community Woodland encapsulates many of our aims within the White Rose Forest – providing a well-designed woodland and recreational space that will provide a big boost for biodiversity as well as the local community. We’ve been delighted to support this project throughout the development process and hope it will become a much-loved natural haven for everyone in York.”
For more information about York Community Woodland visit https://www.york.gov.uk/YorkCommunityWoodland