You may have noticed that a woodland of trees and native shrubs have appeared at Bodmin Beacon...

This is part of the Forest for Cornwall project, an initiative that supports tree planting here in Cornwall across all communities, from a single tree in a garden to whole woodlands. Bodmin is one of the latest to become the home for thousands of trees and native shrubs this spring.

Projects across Cornwall range from planting on farms and in hedgerows, creating mini forests in schools and parks, and introducing community orchards. All of this is part of a wider project to improve opportunities for benefiting mental and physical health, increasing biodiversity, providing shade and shelter, supporting nature recovery and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The creation of a woodland at Bodmin Beacon is the result of funding from Defra’s England Woodland Creation Offer, which includes 15 years of funding for establishment and maintenance, and has been carried out after consultation with the surrounding community.

The site is 7 hectares in total, on low grade unproductive ground, and provides areas of open space, pathways and glades for people to make the most of this community woodland. One hectare has been set aside for natural colonisation, and this area will be temporarily fenced off to protect the soil. A total of 27 different tree and shrub species have been planted, including English and Sessile oak, silver birch, alder, small leaved lime, sweet chestnut, Aspen, wild cherry, blackthorn, crab apple, rowan, Scots pine, beech, holly and spindle.

The woodland is being managed by Cornwall Council Countryside Team.  It is hoped that local residents will enjoy being amongst the establishing trees which will also attract and provide new habitat for birds, bees, butterflies and native woodland plants.