Coronation Wood to be planted by Forestry England near Ludlow

The woodland, which will likely be called Lower Lye Wood, will cover 21 hectares and connect with Bucknell Wood, a 225-hectare woodland which Forestry England already manages.   

The new woodland site will be planted with a mix of broadleaf and conifer trees providing a rich habitat for wildlife, a beautiful space for people to enjoy and a sustainable source of timber.  

Lower Lye Wood will be open for public access and be designed as a quiet woodland for local people to explore and enjoy. A stream runs through the new woodland site and Forestry England will design the woodland and choose tree species to support the water quality and improve wildlife habitat.

Forestry England will share designs for the new woodland during public consultation in early 2024, and will invite local people and organisations to give their ideas and feedback before these are finalised. The plans will be submitted to the Forestry Commission for approval before planting begins. 

Forestry England forester for the Shropshire Hills, Clive Jackson, said; 

“We’re very excited to share the news that Forestry England has bought new land for woodland creation in Shropshire.

“Planning and planting a brand-new woodland is an exciting moment and we’re doing the detailed work of deciding the right mix of tree species which will flourish in the soil and climate conditions here. We’re looking carefully at the many different benefits this woodland will bring in the decades ahead including flood alleviation and how the wood can boost biodiversity, help nature recovery across the wider landscape of the Shropshire Hills.”

You can keep up to date with progress on the creation of Lower Lye Wood on the Forestry England website.