{{Short description|Environmental project in central England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}} {{Use British English|date=July 2014}} {{distinguish|New Forest}} [[File:The National Forest logo.svg|200px|thumb|right]]
'''The National Forest''' is an environmental project in central [[England]] run by '''The National Forest Company'''. From the 1990s, {{convert|200|sqmi|km2}} of north [[Leicestershire]], south [[Derbyshire]] and southeast [[Staffordshire]] have been planted in an attempt to blend ancient woodland with newly planted areas to create a new national forest. It stretches from the western outskirts of [[Leicester]] in the east to [[Burton upon Trent]] in the west, and is planned to link the ancient forests of [[Needwood Forest|Needwood]] and [[Charnwood Forest|Charnwood]].
==The National Forest Company== [[File:Uk-national-forest.svg|200px|thumb|right|Location of the national forest.]] The National Forest Company is a not-for-profit organisation established in April 1995 as a [[company limited by guarantee]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalforest.org/about|title=About the National Forest | National Forest|website=www.nationalforest.org}}</ref> with [[Susan Bell (forester)]] as its first chief executive. It is supported by the [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] (Defra), with the aim of converting one third of the land within the boundaries of the National Forest ({{convert|52|sqmi|acre|disp=comma|abbr=in}}) to [[woodland]], by encouraging landowners to alter their land use. It is described as "a [[forest]] in the making" and it is hoped to increase [[tourism]] and [[forestry]]-related jobs in the area.
Around 9.5 million trees have been planted, more than tripling the woodland cover from 6% to 25%.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://www.nationalforest.org/about_us/about_us.php|website=National Forest|accessdate=7 January 2018|language=en}}</ref>
==Planting== Approximately 85% of the trees planted are native broadleaf species. The most commonly planted species include: [[English oak]], [[Ash tree|ash]], [[Populus|poplar]], [[European Black Pine|Corsican pine]] and [[Scots pine]].<ref name="auto"/>
The transformation of the landscape is taking effect as the first tiny [[Whip (tree)|whips]] planted in the early 1990s are growing into substantial trees.
==Attractions== [[File:Conkers Discovery Centre - geograph.org.uk - 89395.jpg|thumb|right|Conkers Discovery Centre at Moira, Leicestershire, in the heart of the National Forest (May 2005)]] At the centre of the National Forest is ''Conkers'', a visitor centre located just outside the village of [[Moira, Leicestershire]]. There is also a visitor centre with wildlife walks and playgrounds at [[Rosliston]].
Other attractions include: {{div col}} *[[Ashby Canal]] *[[Ashby Castle]], [[Ashby-de-la-Zouch]] *Ashby de-la-Zouch museum, Ashby de-la-Zouch *[[Bardon Hill]] - highest point in the National Forest at {{convert|912|ft|m}} above sea level *[[Battlefield Line Railway]] *[[Beacon Hill, Leicestershire]] *[[Bradgate Park]] *[[Calke Abbey]], [[Ticknall]] *[[Claymills Pumping Station|Claymills Victorian Pumping Station]] *[[Croxall Lakes]] *[[Donington le Heath Manor House]] *[[Flagship Diamond Wood]] *[[Foremark Reservoir]], [[Foremark]] *[[Fradley Junction]] *[[Grace Dieu Priory]] *[[Kedleston Hall]] *[[Outwoods, Leicestershire|Loughborough Outwoods]] *[[Melbourne Hall]] *[[Moira Furnace]] *[[Mount St. Bernard Abbey]] *[[National Memorial Arboretum]] *[[Rosliston Forestry Centre]] *[[Seale Wood]] *[[Sence Valley Forest Park]] *[[Sharpe's Pottery Museum]] *[[Staunton Harold Reservoir]] *[[Sudbury Hall]] *[[Swithland Wood]] *[[The National Forest Maze]] *T.G.Green [[Cornishware]] Archive Museum *[[Thornton Reservoir]] *[[Tropical Birdland, Leicestershire]] *[[Twycross Zoo]] {{Div col end}}
The towns of [[Ashby de la Zouch]], [[Burton upon Trent]], [[Swadlincote]] and [[Coalville]] are located within the forest area.
The [[Ordnance Survey]] Explorer double-sided map 245 is named "The National Forest", and includes the above-named places.<ref>[https://shop.osmaps.com/map-of-the-national-forest/ OS Explorer map 245]</ref>
==See also== *[[Reforestation]] *[[Plant A Tree In '73]] *[[Sherwood Forest]] *[[Great Northumberland Forest]] *[[Northern Forest (England)]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|The National Forest (England)}} * [http://www.nationalforest.org/ Official site] * [http://www.roslistonforestrycentre.co.uk/ Rosliston Forestry Centre] * [http://www.visitconkers.com/ Conkers Website]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Forest}} [[Category:Forests and woodlands of Derbyshire]] [[Category:Forests and woodlands of Staffordshire]] [[Category:Forests and woodlands of Leicestershire| ]] [[Category:National forests|England]] [[Category:Reforestation]] [[Category:North West Leicestershire District]] [[Category:Borough of Charnwood]] [[Category:South Derbyshire District]] [[Category:Borough of East Staffordshire]] [[Category:Lichfield District]] [[Category:Hinckley and Bosworth]] [[Category:Types of formally designated forests]] [[Category:1990 establishments in England]] [[Category:Government agencies established in 1990]] [[Category:Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]] [[Category:Private companies limited by guarantee of the United Kingdom]]