Christmas at Bedgebury returns to the award-winning National Pinetum from  22 November – 30 December 2019. Brought to you by leading events producer Raymond Gubbay Ltd, the one-mile magical winter trail at the Bedgebury National Pinetum is set to be bigger and better than ever. The sights and sounds of Christmas await under unique canopies, with new installations rising high into the night sky. A dynamic Vortex Tunnel leads onto colour-changing and immersive ribbons of light. Waterside reflections will be created by hundreds of colourful boats gently bobbing on the shimmering lake, whilst flickering flames of the scented Fire Garden create a moment of tranquil reflection.

A new survey commissioned by the Forestry Commission has found that more than two thirds of people in the UK think they spend too much time inside between October and March. Almost four in five people who agreed they didn’t go outside enough said, they regretted it.

The Forestry Commission unveils major new art commission at Suffolk’s Thetford Forest to celebrate 100 years of forestry

Leading psychiatrists and the largest provider of outdoor recreation in England are urging people to continue venturing outdoors this autumn and winter to improve their mental health.

Once a familiar feature of the woodlands in England, the pine marten stood on the brink of extinction – until now.

Forestry England has launched new waymarked running trails in 18 forests around the country.

With impressive autumnal displays predicted by Forestry England expert’s right through until to mid-November, now is a great time to indulge in the practice of forest bathing.

We are working to protect the nation’s forests so that future generations can still enjoy them.

Enchanted Christmas event will be returning to Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, and this year will be taking on a brand new twist!

Forestry England experts at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum have today announced a new project to help safeguard the ancient Silk Wood (which makes up around two-thirds of the Arboretum) from pests and diseases, most notably chalara ash dieback. Forestry England will be removing trees infected with chalara ash dieback, to make way for a wide variety of tree species that are more resilient to pests and diseases. 

For the very first time in history, Forestry England has confirmed that an alien has crash landed into one of the nation’s forests. Lu-La, from the Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, in UK cinemas 18 October, is an impish and adorable alien with amazing powers. She has been stranded in the forest and needs to charge her communicator so that she can get a message back home to call for rescue!

A new art film and installation revealing hidden stories from the working forest. This autumn will see Northumberland’s Kielder Water and Forest Park welcome The Custody Code, a new art film and installation produced by Amanda Loomes and developed as part of the Forestry Commission’s centenary celebrations. Available to view from 18 September to 1 December 2019, the film reveals the hidden industry within the working forest, telling the individual, intimate and often surprising stories of the men and women who call the forest their office.

Amid the climate crisis, increasing demands for timber and wildlife on the brink, forests and trees have never been so important for people and nature.

Published to mark the centenary of the Commission, British Forests examines not only its unique history but also the Commission's role in research, and the promotion of tree planting in both cities and countryside.

Great news for autumn lovers, experts from Forestry England are predicting a fantastic autumn, with an impressive display of vibrant autumn colours that will start now and continue right through to mid-November. For spectacular autumn colour, trees need a healthy balance of sunlight and rain to produce sugars, which create the colours in the leaves. Many of us were left feeling soggy at the start of the summer and data from the Met Office confirms that England experienced a spell of very wet weather in mid-June, with some parts of the UK receiving 2.5 times the monthly average rainfall. For spectacular autumn colour, trees need a healthy balance of sunlight and rain to produce sugars, which create the colours in the leaves.

The first white-tailed eagles to be reintroduced to England have been released on the Isle of Wight. The six young birds, the first to be returned to southern England for 240 years, are part of a five-year programme to restore this lost species led by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.  

Forestry England is now a DfE approved apprenticeship employer-provider, delivering the Level 2 Forest Operative Apprenticeship to prepare its own apprentices for a career in forestry. The move is helping the organisation develop its workforce by providing essential skills within an environment that promotes and prioritises excellent health and safety standards.

Six forests of the UK feature on new Royal Mail special stamps to celebrate Forestry Commission centenary

Forestry England, the country’s largest land manager and the arm of the Forestry Commission that manages the nation’s forests, has a new chief executive. Mike Seddon has almost 30 years of experience in forestry and forestry policy and begins his new role today, 1 August 2019.

Forestry England is celebrating their ongoing relationship with The Gruffalo as the nation’s favourite children’s picture book reaches its 20th anniversary. with a new downloadable Gruffalo Party Pack.

To celebrate the Gruffalo’s 20th anniversary Forestry England has revealed their top 10 family picnic sites to enjoy this summer along with a fun, free activity pack full of forest activities and Gruffalo inspired picnic ideas. Great for birthday parties or family adventures, anytime, in any forest!

Paul Weller has completed a summer run of Forest Live dates with a performance in Cannock Chase Forest, Staffs. Forest Live is an annual concert series promoted by the Forestry England where an eclectic mix of artists perform in spectacular woodland locations across the country. Money raised from ticket sales helps to look after the nation’s forests sustainably, for people to enjoy and wildlife to thrive. Paul has been a real ambassador for the series, making his Forest Live debut at five venues in 2004 and subsequently returning three times to each of the seven forests that have since formed part of the tour. In recognition of generating over 145000 tickets sales to see Paul perform over the years, Forestry England presented him with a commemorative inscription carved out of oak burr taken from Westonbirt Arboretum, one of the Forest Live venues.

Forestry England’s beavers in Cropton Forest have become parents, giving birth to two adorable kits. Video captured at the beaver site in Yorkshire shows the kits already swimming and settling into their new home with their mum. Beavers are born precocial, meaning they are a miniature version of adults, seeing well and moving independently from birth. Cath Bashforth, Ecologist, Yorkshire Forest District, Forestry England said: “We are all very happy to see the arrival of two healthy kits. With beaver being very social animals, the family unit will live together. “It is fascinating to watch them explore their surroundings and they are quickly learning from their parents. I’m really looking forward to watching them grow and bond as a family’

New surveys are underway in the South West of England to study Long Eared Owl populations. It's been a decade since the UK’s rarest breeding owl species were last studied in this area and their numbers are thought to have declined significantly in the past century. Now, Forestry England and the Hawk and Owl Trust are carrying out a major survey of the birds across Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall thanks to Forest Holidays' Conservation Fund.