Where We Are

The Western Forest is a 1,400 sq mile wooded mosaic spanning Gloucestershire, the West of England and Wiltshire, where farming, ancient woodland and some of the West’s major urban centres converge. It is a landscape under strain: extreme weather and rising costs are testing farm businesses, ancient woodlands are fragmented, and urban residents are cut off from nature. The Western Forest is our response – an evidence-led priority area built from the ground up to identify where trees will do the most for nature, farms and people.

We are not a densely planted forest. Instead, we celebrate our region’s natural heritage by creating a new national forest that supports local farming systems, diverse communities, and regional growth. Western Forest consists of a patchwork of habitats and land uses – towns and villages, industry and agriculture, open spaces and wetlands – all unified by trees.

From wassailing and the home of many historic Norman medieval forests such as Braydon and Forest of Dean, our region is rich in natural history. We are inspired to bring this natural heritage into the 21st century to create a resilient national forest for the future that brings benefits to where people live, work and visit.

75% of our region is agricultural and we’re helping build resilience in farm businesses and food production by planting trees that support productivity, and enable agriculture to thrive into the future.

The Western Forest is all about collaboration – meet the team and our partners who make it possible.