Hoarthorns Wood is the first extension to the Forest of Dean since 1817! The 88-hectare woodland, once established will connect to existing woodland at Ninewells, near Berry Hill.
Hoarthorns Wood will provide an important new habitat for wildlife, connect existing isolated and important habitats, provide a new green space for people to explore, store carbon, and, in time, provide a new source of sustainable British timber.
This is one of many new woodlands we’re creating at Forestry England to help grow the nation’s forests. The work has been made possible thanks to the government’s Nature for Climate Fund programme.
Planting a new woodland
In winter 2025 we started the task of planting over 120,000 trees by hand. That's around 1,000 to 1,500 trees a day!
Our design incorporated planting a diverse ranges of species, keeping some areas of open space and shrubs, creating a rich mosaic of different habitats that will support a range of wildlife including birds, insects and amphibians.
Hoarthorns public consultation
In spring 2025, we ran a public consultation on draft plans for a new woodland at Hoarthorns Farm. Local feedback played an important role in shaping the final design, helping us balance nature, access, and the character of the landscape.
You can explore what people told us by viewing the consultation feedback and final designs for Hoarthorns Wood here.
