About the Forest of Mercia

This page provides a flavour of the Forest of Mercia - Your Local Community Forest. It outlines what we do and who we are, where we work and how we work.

Staffordshire County Council is not responsible for the content of external websites linked from this page.

The Forest of Mercia is part of a national programme of ten Community Forests in England. The Community Forest Programme was developed in the early 1990's to enable people who live in large towns or cities to have improved facilities and access in respect of their natural environment. The Forest of Mercia covers 92 square miles of South Staffordshire and adjoining parts of the West Midlands, providing plenty of scope for walks, recreation and education. It lies between Penkridge in the west, Lichfield in the east and spreads north from Wolverhampton and Walsall as far as Cannock Chase. The Forest of Mercia is also a neighbour of the National Forest.

The team are based at Chasewater Innovation Centre in Brownhills and at the Image Business Park in Hednesford. The map below shows the boundaries to the Forest of Mercia and where the Innovation Centre is located.

 

 

As you can see, the Forest of Mercia is not a continuous woodland, rather a network of woodlands, hedgerows, heathlands, farmlands, wetlands, lakes and grassland that join together to form a rich landscape for all to enjoy. Trees of course are a very important part of this...

Since the early 1990's the Forest of Mercia team has worked with local communities, organisations and landowners to plant thousands of trees. It is also our aim to help towards effectively managing these trees, as well as other established but neglected woodlands in the area. Having worked hard to enhance local environments we also try to encourage people to get out there and enjoy the trees and woodland on their doorsteps!

Developing a Community Forest means more than just trees...

COMMUNITY - Encouraging local residents to benefit from the environment on their doorstep, through recreation, enjoying the wildlife, through volunteering, or through simply having fun!

EDUCATION - Using the natural environment as a sound basis for learning, to encourage an understanding of trees, woodlands and forestry and of the wider environment

FORESTRY - Working together to plant and manage new and existing woodlands, for today, for the future and for the benefit of us all

The Forest of Mercia positively contributes to the environment, economy and the quality of life, not only of its local area but of the West Midlands region as a whole. The benefits of a Community  Forest can reach far beyond its boundaries in many ways.

To download the Forest of Mercia Annual Review 2008-2009 please click on the link below

 Forest of Mercia Annual Review 2008-2009  

 

  

 

Last Modified: 18/12/2009 13:46:35
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