At Forestry England, we’re foresters, professionals and experts. Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to grow the nation’s forests for everyone.
We’re already adapting our landscapes for tomorrow. And getting stuff done today, like creating amazing places and experiences for you to enjoy. We’re providing vital homes for wildlife, making our air cleaner to breathe, producing sustainable timber, and safeguarding our natural and cultural heritage.
We put sustainability at the heart of our work, maintaining world-class standards for the forests in our care.
Forestry and timber
Well-managed forests can last forever. From the millions of seeds we grow in our nurseries each year, to the new woodlands we plant and the trees we fell for timber, we’re carefully managing the nation’s forests for tomorrow.
Creating forests fit for the future
Our experts use the latest science and research to plan, plant and protect forests. We’re designing forests that will thrive in the climate conditions we expect in 2050 and beyond.
By protecting trees from pest and diseases and diversifying what we plant, we’re making sure that the nation’s forests have the best chance of thriving.
Safeguarding sustainable timber
We’re proud to be the largest producer of sustainable timber in England, growing over a million tonnes each year. Timber also captures carbon, and by growing and using more wood we can help to tackle the climate crisis.
High standards are important to us. All the timber we produce is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) approved.
Wildlife and habitats
Over half of England's rarest species can be found in the nation's forests, including red squirrels, water voles, goshawks and ospreys.
We care for some of the most valuable places for wildlife in the country, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
Returning lost species
Our staff and volunteers do extraordinary work every day to support the wildlife already living in our forests. And more than that, we’re also recovering vital ecosystems and returning missing species to our landscapes, including beavers, pine martens and white-tailed eagles.
Creating and caring for habitats
Thriving wildlife needs thriving places to live. The nation’s forests are a patchwork of different habitats and we restore and carefully manage these.
Almost one fifth of the landscapes we manage are open habitats, such as heathland and peatland, and they are important features in our landscapes.
Restoring natural processes
We’re delivering nature recovery projects, such as our wilder forests projects, across huge scales. By harnessing the power of nature, we will restore natural processes with more meandering watercourses, low-density grazing and adopting different ways to manage forests.
Forests for people
We know that spending time outdoors can improve people’s lives and that’s why we make sure the nation’s forests are safe spaces for recreation, health and learning. After all, 99% of people in England live within an hour's drive of one of our forests.
Recreation and wellbeing
From walking trails and mountain biking tracks to organised activities, art exhibitions, campsites and quiet benches under the trees, we provide recreation opportunities and ways for people to improve their health and wellbeing.
Staff and volunteers
Forestry England is powered by passionate and skilled people who safeguard the nation’s forests and the benefits they bring. Every role matters, and every person makes a difference. We work as one team, collaborating with partners and volunteers to achieve ambitious goals.
We invest in our people, developing expertise, supporting wellbeing, and creating fulfilling careers. Our diverse workforce reflects the communities we serve, and we also support a growing number of volunteers, who work with us to help with maintenance, conservation and more.
Contributing to communities
As well as health benefits, our woodlands make significant contributions to local economies around the country. The 300 million visits we get per year support over 80 local businesses. They deliver our Forest Centre services including bike hire, cafes and action-packed adventures through Go Ape.
Over 100 years of growing the future
Since 1919 we’ve had a simple objective: to grow and care for the nation’s forests. As you can see, we’re doing a lot - and we’ve evolved the way we’re doing it in ways to help people, wildlife, industry, and our planet.
