A landscape loved by many
The Forest of Dean is an extraordinary natural resource, offering space for people to explore, relax, and connect with nature. Designated as one of the first National Forest Parks in 1938, it sits alongside the Wye Valley; often considered the birthplace of English tourism.
Today, the Forest continues to attract millions of people each year. In 2023, Visit Dean Wye recorded 5.1 million day visits and 2.6 million overnight stays from UK and international visitors. At our Forestry England sites (Beechenhurst, Symonds Yat Rock, Mallards Pike, and the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre) we welcomed almost 1 million visitors in 2024/25. And these figures don’t include visits to our smaller sites or those who arrive on foot, by bike, or via alternative transport.
Balancing enjoyment with protection
The Forest of Dean is loved by both residents and visitors. Leisure and tourism play a vital and growing role in the local economy, but this growth brings challenges, such as:
- Traffic and parking pressures
- Limited public transport
- Conflicts between different forest users
- Impacts on wildlife, habitats, heritage, and archaeology
Much of the forest’s publicly accessible land - around 10,000 hectares - has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century. This shared space must continue to support both people and nature far into the future.
Why we need a visitor strategy
To safeguard the Forest of Dean while supporting the needs of communities, visitors, and wildlife, we are developing a long-term visitor strategy. This strategy will form a key part of the “big picture” plan for the forest, setting out a sustainable direction for leisure and tourism that works both environmentally and financially.
It will draw on the views of residents, visitors, businesses and other local stakeholders; ensuring that decisions are shaped by those who know and care for the Forest of Dean.
Have your say
We want everyone who loves the Forest of Dean to have a voice in shaping its future.
Whether you live locally, run a business, or visit for holidays or days out, your experience matters. We are currently running an online survey that takes around 12 minutes to complete.
By taking part, you can help us understand:
- Why you visit the Forest of Dean
- What you think of our current visitor facilities
- Any issues you see in the area
- What you hope tourism will look like in the future
Your feedback will play an important role in guiding the future of this much‑loved landscape. The survey will close on 15 March 2026.
Your privacy
Forestry England has engaged Phoenix MRC Ltd, an independent Gloucestershire‑based market research and insight consultancy, to conduct this survey. All your answers will remain anonymous and strictly confidential. No individual will be identifiable in any reporting to Forestry England.
We do not ask for any personal data in this survey. All responses are managed and stored securely by Phoenix MRC. You can find out more about how we use and store data in our Privacy Policy: http://bit.ly/PMRCPrivacy By clicking the link, you confirm that you consent to take part in this survey.
Paper copies of the survey are available at Forestry England Reception, Bank House, Bank Street, Coleford, GL16 8BA.
What happens next?
The visitor strategy is a long-term project, with the final document expected towards the end of 2027. In the meantime, we will be:
- Conducting detailed data research
- Gathering views and insights from the public
- Working closely with local businesses and partners
- Understanding how people use the forest now, and how they want to in future