Creating new Woodlands for Local Communities

The Jubilee Woods Trust enables new woodlands to be created in rural and brown-field sites throughout Britain. In undertaking this work the Trust is entirely dependent on grants from public sources and funds from individuals, companies, trusts and foundations.

The Trust works closely with local communities to provide them with recreational possibilities offering a unique blend of educational, art and environmental opportunities. From initial concept to completion the Trust draws on the talents and resources of local groups, schools, artists and businesses.

View across Rhondda Valley, Southern Wales

Each project starts with consultations in primary and secondary schools, youth groups and the community at large to identify an animal of local historical or environmental significance, which will form a focus for the new woodland. The Trust commissions designers and artists to create these landmarks in the form of sculptures, pathways or some other representation of the natural environment.

The Jubilee Woods Trust is in essence the facilitator of each project. The combined expertise of the Trust’s team provides specialised project management; in depth community consultation; cross-curricular educational programmes; extensive experience in realising environmental and arts commissions. All projects grow out of partnerships between the Trust and public sector agencies including the Forestry Commission and Forest Enterprise, regional and local authorities and other government bodies. A range of support is needed for the realisation of each project from identifying a site and obtaining funds to appointing the right specialists for every stage.

The Jubilee Woods Trust was formed as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Programme and the first project is being launched this year in the 50th anniversary of the 1953 coronation. In addition to environmental improvement the aim of the project is to celebrate a sense of belonging, community and identity in all regions of Britain.

In Spring 2003 the first 51-hectare wood was completed at Sefton Meadow near Liverpool at a former landfill site. The community chose the Barn Owl as the focus for this project and the shape of the owl in flight is drawn out by pathways in the new woodland which lead up to a three metre high stone carving of a Barn Owl by a local artist using a stone quarried in the region.

Students from a local school planting the first trees at Sefton Meadows

The Trust’s medium term goal is to create a Jubilee Wood in each county of the country with a continuing education programme in place alongside each. Its long-term ambition is to leave future generations in communities in all parts of the country with a greener legacy and a greater enjoyment and understanding of their local environment.