Who is involved?
Many individuals and organisations are involved in the creation of the Forest – its communities, its landowners, public and voluntary sector bodies, private businesses and people from all over the country.
Leading the creation of the Forest, (but not itself being a major landowner), is the National Forest Company, established by Government in April 1995. The Company is limited by guarantee and sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). The Company is responsible, through working with partners, for the delivery of the Government-approved National Forest Strategy – the vision for the Forest.
The Forestry Commission is a key partner. It owns and looks after many sites in the Forest and assesses submissions for planting with the Company. It administers some of the grants awarded to landowners.
The Woodland Trust and Wildlife Trusts have developed many sites in The National Forest, with particular commitment to nature conservation and high quality woodlands.
Local authorities are landowners and the prime long term custodians of the public interest. Parts of six District Councils and three County Councils lie within The National Forest.
Increasingly, private sector companies sponsor The National Forest. They bring added resource to the planting of sites.
The public can get involved directly through sponsoring and Plant a Tree schemes, buying gifts and through donations.
- Find out more: National Forest Partners