Welcome to Eastern Hill
A newly planted woodland near Astwood Bank, located just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, this site in the Heart of England Forest marks an exciting step forward in expanding accessible green space, improving local biodiversity, and creating a landscape that future generations can enjoy.
About Eastern Hill
12,000 trees have been planted by staff and volunteers here. The variety of native tree species will support birds, insects, and wildlife, while open glades and wide rides will provide important space for wildflowers, pollinators, and allow sunlight to reach the woodland floor.
As the woodland matures, visitors will see the landscape gradually transform, from saplings and open ground to structured woodland with developing canopy, shrubs, and vibrant seasonal changes.
Our biodiversity team has found brown hairstreak butterfly eggs during surveys on the site which is exciting.
Visiting the site
Location: Eastern Hill is situated here. No car parking is available.
Access: The site is open year round for quiet recreation. Waymarked routes help guide visitors through the woodland as it establishes. Please note that paths may be uneven in places, and conditions may change seasonally. As indicated by the name the site is quite hilly.
What to expect: Visitors can enjoy peaceful walks, wildlife, and the opportunity to watch a new woodland grow and evolve over time.
Looking after Eastern Hill together
To help the woodland thrive in its early years, we ask all visitors to:
- Stay on marked paths
- Keep dogs under close control
- Take litter home
- Respect wildlife and other visitors
Your support helps protect young trees and ensure the woodland grows into a healthy, long-lasting habitat.
How the woodland will grow
Woodland creation is a long term investment in the landscape. Over the next 5 – 30 years, Eastern Hill will:
- Develop layered woodland structure
- Improve local air quality and carbon storage
- Provide increasingly valuable wildlife habitats
- Offer enhanced walking routes and natural spaces for the community
We will continue to manage the site responsibly to support biodiversity, resilience, and public access.
Funding and project partners
The creation of Eastern Hill has been made possible through support from:
- The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) administered by the Forestry Commission
- Wider Plan our local corporate partner
Their contribution has enabled us to create new woodland habitat, improve public access, and deliver long term environmental benefits.
Get involved
We regularly run volunteer events, planting days, and opportunities to support conservation work across our sites.
To take part or learn more, please contact us at volunteer@heartofenglandforest.org or visit our volunteering web pages.
There are many ways you can support our work, from becoming a Friend of the Forest to dedicating a tree. Find out more.
