A NEW 40-hectare woodland is to be added to Delamere Forest providing more space for people to enjoy, an improved habitat for wildlife and a sustainable supply of home-grown timber.

Forestry England has purchased Hondslough Wood at the northern edge of Delamere Forest from Cheshire West and Chester Council with a view to converting the farmland into a thriving woodland which will be planted with mixed conifer and broadleaf trees, specially selected to be resilient to future climate conditions.

The woodland will be managed as part of Delamere Forest, which covers 753 hectares and welcomes around 750,000 visitors each year to enjoy the walking and cycling trails and other recreation opportunities.

The forest is home to a variety of wildlife including white-faced darter dragonflies, tawny owls, common lizards and long eared and pipistrelle bats. It also produces around 6,000 cubic metres of sustainably grown timber each year, carefully managed alongside the recreation opportunities and biodiversity activities. The new area of woodland will have public access to enable visitors to Delamere Forest to explore a quieter forest landscape.

Paddy Harrop, Forest Management Director, said: "This new area of woodland for Delamere Forest is going to be a wonderful forest landscape for visitors to enjoy in every season. And creating this woodland next to established forest also means we’ll be expanding existing wildlife habitats to provide greater benefits for biodiversity.

"We’re now deciding the right mix of trees to plant here to support wildlife and flourish in the decades ahead. Our design will incorporate some areas of open space and shrubs so that we have a rich mosaic of different habitats supporting a range of wildlife including birds, insects and amphibians. I’m delighted that we’re able to move ahead quickly with creating this new woodland and will be planting the trees this coming autumn and winter."

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: "The Council is committed to tackling climate change, including the creation of more woodland across the borough. Hondslough Farm will be in excellent hands with Forestry England and this land will provide additional areas to explore and enjoyment for the thousands of visitors to Delamere Forest.

"I’d encourage as many people as possible to look at the plans that Forestry England are sharing and I’m sure they will agree that this will be a very welcome addition to the already magnificent Delamere Forest."

A seed stand - a specially managed area to grow trees and collect their seeds - will be created in Hondslough Wood to supply Forestry England's nursery which is based close to Delamere forest at Lobslack. Around seven million trees are grown at the nursery each year to plant in the nation's forests, either to replant areas which have been harvested for timber, or to create new areas of woodland.

The new woodland is one of many Forestry England is planting by 2026 which together will cover more than 2,000 hectares and support Government targets to increase tree planting across the UK. It is the second ‘Coronation Wood’ Forestry England is planting to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III. The first, Clipsham Wood, is being planted at a site on the border between Rutland and Leicestershire. Forestry England is creating this and other Coronation Woods through the Government’s Nature for Climate Fund.

Forestry England corporate partner AstraZeneca is funding the tree planting for the new woodland site as part of their AZ Forest global reforestation and biodiversity programme. AstraZeneca are working with Forestry England to fund the planting and care of over one million trees across England by the end of 2025.

A public consultation event will give people the chance to give their views and feedback on the woodland design on Tuesday, October 10 at Delamere visitor centre from 4pm until 7pm. There will also be an opportunity to submit views online.

The online consultation will close on October 22.