Woods and trees are vital some would say with hyperbole, essential to life. ‘They have a myriad of different benefits for both wildlife and people. They stabilise the soil, generate oxygen, store carbon, play host to a spectacular variety of wildlife, provide us with raw materials and shelter, inspire our imaginations and our creativity.’

UK Woodland Facts

• Since 1930 almost 50% of the UK’s ancient woodland has been damaged or destroyed.
• 85% of remaining woodland has no protection from further exploitation.
• The Woodland Trust cares for over 1000 woods that are freely open to the public. They have had to fight 310 legal cases over the last 10 years.
• The UK is the least wooded country in Europe with only 12% woodland. This is despite the woodland trust planting 13 million trees.

Free Trees

• The Woodland Trust has a range of free tree packs available to schools, youth groups and communities.
• Plant your tree for the Jubilee and bring your community together to plant free trees from the Woodland Trust. A chance to grow your own food, create new homes for wildlife and bring beautiful autumn colour to your local area.
• Apply now for the chance to receive a free pack to plant in November 2012 as part of our Jubilee Woods project.
• The Woodland Trust

Main Woods Owned or Protected by the Trust

• Blackbush and Twenty Acre Shaw wood.
• Denge Wood and Dering Wood- Kent
• Dolebury Warren – North Somerset
• Folke Wood – Dorset
• Heartwood Forest – Hertfordshire
• Joyden’s Wood – Kent
• Oxmoor Copse – Surrey
• Paradise Wood – Oxfordshire
• Skipton Woods – North Yorkshire
• Staffhurst Wood – Surrey
• Uffmoor Wood – Worcestershire
• Wychwood – Oxfordshire
• Lake Wood
• Glen Finglas Estate – the Trossachs
• Brede High wood near Battle Sussex

Credits

In the woods by JR_Paris CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Vincent Wood by the.approximate.photographer CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A Walk in the Woods: Exploring Britain’s Greatest Woodland by Archie Miles