As part of its centenary in 2019, the Forestry Commission is calling on the nation to write about what trees and forests mean to them this Valentine’s Day.

Around 50 new Elm trees, loved by the rare White-letter Hairstreak butterfly, are being planted at Basing Wood in Hampshire this Valentine’s.
The project by the Forestry Commission and wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, is hoping to attract these much admired butterflies into the Wood in a bid to prevent regional extinction.

Ginkgo, Monkey Puzzle & Japanese Cedar among unusual tree species in Forestry Commission garden at Chelsea

Jack Savoretti has added an extra date as part of Forest Live, the summer concert series organised by the Forestry Commission,
playing Sherwood Pines Forest in June.

The Forestry Commission is asking residents and visitors to the Forest of Dean to take part in a consultation for a new land management plan for the public forest estate – Our Shared Forest.
Our Shared Forest aims to reshape and redirect the way the public forest estate in the Forest of Dean is managed.

From playing chaotic house parties in their home city of Oxford to becoming major festival headliners across Europe, Foals’ trajectory has been remarkable. They’ve earned critical acclaim (NME and Q Award wins, plus Mercury Prize, Ivor Novello and BRIT Award nominations) and fan devotion (1.7 million sales of their four Gold-certified albums, plus over half a billion streams at Spotify since 2015) in equal measure.
And while the majority of contemporaries have fallen by the wayside, Foals continue to hit new peaks.

Set across 16 beautiful forest locations, the Forestry 100 Running series allows you to experience the freedom, fresh air and scenery of running in the nation’s forests.
You can choose any individual 10km event, or, take up the Forestry 100 Challenge and run 100km of forest trails throughout the series.

Jack Savoretti has added an extra date as part of Forest Live, the summer concert series organised by the Forestry Commission, playing Cannock Chase Forest in July.
Singer/songwriter Jack Savoretti releases his sixth studio album, ‘Singing To Strangers’ on Friday 15 March. Recorded in Rome at Ennio Morricone’s studio, the 12 track album features co-writes with both Bob Dylan and Kylie Minogue. The album follows on from his last two gold discs ‘Written in Scars’ (2014) and ‘Sleep No More’ (2016). The special Forest Live gigs will see Jack and his band play material from his new album including latest single and BBC Radio 2’s Record Of The Week ‘Candlelight’ alongside classic Savoretti tracks.

One of Britain’s best live bands, Stereophonics, have announced dates as part of Forest Live, the summer concert series promoted by the Forestry Commission.


Since their Best Newcomer Brit Award in 1998 in acknowledgment of their debut album, ‘Word Gets Around’, Stereophonics went on to become arguably the UK’s most popular rock band of the new millennium.
Their ascendancy was driven by a succession of top ten hits such as ‘The Bartender and the Thief’, ‘Just Looking’, ‘Mr Writer’, ‘Have a Nice Day’ and ‘Dakota’ and No 1 albums ‘Performance and Cocktails’, ‘Just Enough Education to Perform’, ‘You Gotta Go There To Come Back’, and ‘Language. Sex. Violence. Other?’

Hacienda Classical have announced dates as part of Forest Live 2019, the summer concert series organised by the Forestry Commission.
The wildly successful clubbing classical cross-over show Hacienda Classical has seen 5-star reviews and landmark shows at Glastonbury,
Isle Of Wight Festival and London’s Royal Albert Hall among many memorable nights over the past three years.

A major new documentary exploring the landscapes, history and wildlife that make the New Forest one of the UK’s most important ancient woodlands will air on BBC Four on 9th January 2019.

Presented by writer and environmentalist, Peter Owen-Jones in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and The New Forest National Park Authority, “Wild Woods” follows a year in the life of this special place meeting many of the people who work to preserve and protect it.

Following the success of the Gruffalo, Stick Man and Highway Rat trails at Forestry Commission sites across England, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s magical children’s picture book, Zog, will be the new activity trail for families to enjoy in the nation’s forests this winter.
Launching on 11 January 2019, the trails will follow the premiere of the animated special from Magic Light Pictures, on BBC One this Christmas.

As part of celebrations to mark its centenary in 2019, the Forestry Commission has launched a new writing competition to diversify nature writing. From Wordsworth to J.K Rowling, England’s forests have inspired characters and chronicles that have shaped the nation’s literary history for centuries.

Jess Glynne has announced dates as part of Forest Live 2019,
the summer concert series promoted by the Forestry Commission.

Are you a traditionalist who makes your own Christmas decorations, an attention seeker who starts wearing your Santa hat in September or someone who just wants to make everyone happy at Christmas? Because Christmas varies so much person to person, it’s no surprise that your Christmas tree can say a lot about you as an individual.
To help you find out what tree best matches your personality, Forestry Commission England has made an online quiz to help you find the perfect match this Christmas!

Tears For Fears have announced a special gig as part of Forest Live 2019, the summer concert series organised by the Forestry Commission. Synth-pop pioneers Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith formed Tears For Fears in 1981 and with breakthrough single ‘Mad World’ and further top 10 hits, ‘Change’ and ‘Pale Shelter’ ensured No 1 status for their debut album ‘The Hurting’.
Tears For Fears Forest Live set will include performances of their classic hits.

Jack Savoretti has announced a West Country woodland concert as part of Forest Live the annual concert series organised by the Forestry Commission.
2019 will see the release of Jack Savoretti’s sixth studio album, ‘Singing To Strangers’. Recorded in Rome at Ennio Morricone’s studio, the 12 track album features co-writes with both Bob Dylan and Kylie Minogue

Escape the shops, wrap up warm, enjoy the Christmassy scent of pine trees, and get into the festive spirit this year in the nation’s forests.

With magical illuminated trails, stargazing opportunities and the chance to buy your Santa certified Christmas tree from the heart of the forest, Forestry Commission England sites offer the perfect location for a family Christmas day out.

Paul Weller is the first artist to announce gigs as part of Forest Live 2019, the summer concert series promoted by the Forestry Commission.

Paul’s latest release ‘True Meanings’, entered the UK charts at No 2. It is his fourteenth solo album and the twenty-sixth studio album of his career that began in 1977 with The Jam’s debut album ‘In the City’.

News: Turner Prize-winning artist Rachel Whiteread creates new work for centenary of the Forestry Commission

Long hot summer means that autumn has come early and could be shorter
Experts at Forestry Commission England have reported leaves turning a rainbow of colour despite it being early September.
The onset of autumn is controlled by temperature and day length, and with the days getting colder and shorter, it seems like autumn arrived as soon as the kids went back to school. 

To encourage children to explore their local woodlands after school, Forestry Commission England has joined in partnership with Roald Dahl Story Company to create the most marvellous “forest adventure kit”. The kit will be launched on 13 September, Roald Dahl Day to celebrate the much-loved author on his birthday. Roald Dahl Day is the annual, global celebration of the world’s number one storyteller, his beloved stories and unforgettable characters.