Growing the nation's forests
At Forestry England, we're expertly creating a new woodland on land we have purchased in the village of Smarden in Kent. New Luckhurst Wood will provide valuable habitat for wildlife and absorb carbon. Once the trees have grown, the woodland will be open to the public, giving local people a new green space to explore and enjoy. In a few decades, it will also become a source of sustainable British timber.
We'll carefully select tree species that suit the local soil and will thrive in today’s climate, while also being resilient to future conditions as the trees grow and mature. The woodland will include a mix of broadleaf and conifer trees and include open areas to support nature and add visual interest to the landscape.
New Luckhurst 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.
Work in progress...
At the moment, we're still developing our plans for New Luckhurst Wood. We recently hosted a public consultation, where we invited local people and businesses to share their thoughts and ideas with us. This included a special 'drop in' event in Smarden. We'd like to thank everyone who got involved in this process and who attended our event, as your feedback will help us shape the final designs for New Luckhurst Wood.
Right now, we're working through the comments from the public consultation, and we'll be sharing our final designs for New Luckhurst Wood later this year. Subject to the approval of our final design plans, we hope to begin planting the first trees at this new woodland in winter 2026/27.
Trees we're planning to plant
For every new woodland we create, we aim to plant a mix of species that complement the surrounding landscape, support a range of wildlife species, and, in time, contribute to the UK's sustainable timber industry. Tree species we're planning to plant at New Luckhurst Wood include:
- Willow
- Aspen
- Oak
- Hornbeam
We will also be looking to plant native shrubs in more open areas, which could include hazel, hawthorn, dogwood, and wild cherry.
Frequently asked questions
We're in the early stages of creating our design for the new woodland. Public feedback and surveys will inform our detailed plans for the new woodland. Our aim is to create the new woodland over the next couple of years with initial planting beginning in winter 2026/27.
Yes! The new woodland will be open to the public and provide a quiet space for local people to enjoy and connect with nature. Once we have finished planting the woodland, we will dedicate it under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act so that people can access and explore the site.
Note that there are currently no plans to create a car park for New Luckhurst Wood, and access will primarily be through the network of existing footpaths in the area.
New Luckhurst Wood will be a productive woodland once the trees have grown to a suitable height. As part of our ongoing management, we will begin to remove some of the trees after about 20-25 years to provide a sustainable supply of timber and help the woodland to continue to grow healthily for many years to come. When done responsibly, tree felling can be good for the health of forests, as well as providing other benefits such as helping to tackle the climate crisis. For a sustainable future, we need to use more wood to replace fossil fuel intensive products, like plastic, and to lock up carbon.
