National Forest for Wales Status Scheme

Overview

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The National Forest Status Scheme opened on the 23 June and enables exemplary woodlands to join the National Forest for Wales network.

Content

Welcome to the National Forest for Wales Status Scheme

What support is available?

National Forest sites (via the status scheme) to date

Useful links

Welcome to the National Forest for Wales Status Scheme

Becoming part of the National Forest for Wales is all about being part of something unique for the people of Wales. Having National Forest for Wales status allows exemplary woodlands to be recognised, to become part of something nationwide and provide opportunities to connect woodlands in lots of different ways.

Applications are open to anyone who owns or has management control of woodland in Wales.

There will be no limit on the number of woodlands which can be awarded National Forest for Wales Status, and applications can be made at any time of year but will be considered at set times.

Woodlands will be recognised as National Forest for Wales sites by demonstrating how they meet the National Forest for Wales outcomes:

• Good Quality, well designed and managed resilient woodlands
• Woodlands accessible to people
• Community involvement in woodlands
• Connected woodlands
• Dynamic, multi culture woodlands and trees
• Woodlands that demonstrate  learning, research and innovation

National Forest Status is voluntary, and sites will have the option to leave the National Forest for Wales at any point.

What support is available?

A dedicated team of National Forest woodland liaison officers has been put in place to help facilitate and enable woodland owners with their ambitions to create and enhance woodlands and develop the National Forest for Wales network.

There are six liaison officers based across Wales.

The team will facilitate and enable woodland owners with their ambitions to create and enhance woodlands in accordance with the National Forest outcomes and help to bring woodlands into the National Forest for Wales Network via the status scheme.

Guidance has also been put in place to help support you with the application process.

Please note that applicants will need to meet with their National Forest for Wales liaison officer in advance of submitting an application form, who will be able to provide advice on the process.

To get in touch with your liaison officer, or if you have any queries please contact:

Nationalforestwalesstatus@naturalresources.wales

National Forest sites (via the status scheme) to date

Since the scheme opened in June 2023, we have welcomed over 50 new woodlands to the National Forest network via our status scheme – Llongyfarchiadau to all of the woodland owners!

We look forward to welcoming many more woodlands to the network. 

November 2024 update

On the 15 November we were delighted to welcome 18 new sites in to the National Forest for Wales network, in what was the largest round of applications we’ve had to date.

This means we now have 55 Status Scheme Sites as part of the National Forest for Wales, covering over 3600 hectares.

The 18 new woodlands offer a range of unique benefits - from protected areas that provide important habitat for our wildlife, to those that offer valuable green spaces for people to enjoy.

In the south we have Strawberry Cottage Wood, an ancient oak woodland managed by Gwent Wildlife Trust. Also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) this woodland is rich in biodiversity and is home to several notable species. The trust has regular volunteer parties working in the woods and the site is well used by the local community.

In mid Wales we have the woodlands at the Centre of Alternative Technology, an Ancient Semi Natural Woodland, managed by the environmental charity Centre of Alternative Technology

Coed Gwern has been transformed from a conifer plantation into a resilient, diverse native woodland using Low Impact Silvicultural Systems. Timber harvested from the woodland is used in teaching green building techniques and onsite construction, and  the site is accessible to the public and supports over 50,000 visitors and 3,000 learners annually.

The new sites also receive National Forest Signage which has been made by Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind, who have made the signs from Welsh wood which was felled and processed in Wales.

You can find a list of the new sites below:

 

July 2024 update

On the 19 July, we were delighted to welcome another 9 woodlands to the National Forest for Wales, helping to expand the network and bring long term environmental, health and well-being benefits to communities across Wales.

The addition of these new sites brings the total of woodlands outside of the Welsh Government Woodland Estate to 37, covering over 3000 hectares.

In south Wales, we have Beaufort Ponds & Woodlands  which is jointly managed by the Beaufort Hill Ponds & Woodlands Preservation Society, and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council.

 A haven for wildlife, this woodland has a large volunteer base and support from local schools and organisations such as Gwent Wildlife Trust and Groundwork Wales. Improvements to trails and interpretation throughout the site make this an accessible site that is well connected to the community.

Woodlands in north Wales include Y Winllan, Plas Glyn y Weddw - unique to the National Forest for Wales network, as it combines the Arts and the woodland through educational and artistic activities and includes an outdoor forest amphitheatre hosting a series of concerts and performances over the summer.

The interpretation available onsite encourages exploration via its many trails, including the Wales Coast path, its biodiversity and Art offerings.

You can find a list of sites below:

May 2024 update – There are now over 100 National Forest sites in Wales!

On 10 May we were delighted to welcome another 6 woodlands to the National Forest for Wales, bringing the number of sites that have joined the network to over 100.

The 6 woodlands cover an area of nearly 250 hectares and offer a range of unique benefits - from protected areas that provide important habitat for our wildlife, to those that offer valuable green spaces for people to enjoy. 

In south Wales, we have Penllegare Woods a historic site on the outskirts of Swansea, with over 100 hectares of woodland and 7 miles of woodland walks. The woodland is situated along the valley of the river Llan and is managed by the Penllergare Trust who are transforming the ancient woodlands through restoration. The site has an active and large friends group of 400 members and over 100 volunteers who help to maintain and run this popular visitor and community venture

In north Wales, we have Warren wood in Powys. This woodland has seen a transformation since the current owner purchased the site. The woodland has become diverse and is actively managed, with regular involvement from volunteers and community groups.. The Woodland Skills Centre sits within the site and provides a broad program of woodland skills training and forest products. The site is well connected to the local village by public paths and provides connectivity to the wider woodland landscape.

You can find a list of sites below:

March 2024  update - Additional 7 woodlands are welcomed to the National Forest

On 1 March we were delighted to welcome another 7 woodlands to the National Forest for Wales!

The 7 woodlands cover an area of nearly 16000  hectares and offer a range of unique benefits – from commercial forestry areas that help support the timber industry and economy in Wales, to a National Trust site, that offers a valuable green space and recreational activities for visitors, including orienteering and mountain biking.

The commercial forests exemplify the practice of Continuous Cover Forestry. Both sites are FSC certified and award winning with Bryn Arau Duon winning the RFS excellence in Forestry award in 2015, and Coed Preseli winning the Silviculture Gold prize in the same year.

You can find a list of sites below:

November 2023 update - First woodlands to join the National Forest via the status scheme are announced  

First Minister Mark Drakeford & Minister for Climate Change Julie James, with some of the woodland managers at the event in November

On 9 November, we were delighted to be able to welcome the first woodlands to join the National Forest for Wales network through the status scheme.

The woodlands were announced  by the First Minister Mark Drakeford and Environment Minister Julie James, during a site visit to Bryngarw Country Park.

The 15 woodlands cover an area of nearly 800 hectares and vary in size from the Erlas Walled Garden in Wrexham to larger woodlands like  the Coed Cadw managed part of Wentwood in south east Wales.

You can find a full list of all of the woodlands that are part of the National Forest here

Useful links

Find out more about the scheme and how to apply here:

National Forest for Wales: woodland sites | GOV.WALES

There is funding available via different options to help sites meet the National Forest for Wales Outcomes or enhance National Forest for Wales sites, the team can help advise you on the relevant schemes and support applications to the Woodland Investment Grant (TWIG) or Coetiroedd Bach.