An aerial image of the Forest with a low sun
Our impact
At a time when our work has never been more needed, the Forest continued to grow with your support. Look at what we achieved together in 2022/23.
A large oak tree standing amongst newly planted trees at Perry Mill
Thanks to our expert team and wonderful volunteers, 127,748 native trees and shrubs were planted across 233 acres of the Forest. Through acquisitions we also added to the mature and ancient woodland, which now totals over 600 acres, being protected as part of the Forest mosaic.
A family walking through the bluebell event at Alne Wood
27 events were held in the Forest with 2,300 attendees who gave an average event feedback score of 94%.
A volunteer removing a tree guard in the Forest
11,144 volunteer hours were given, the equivalent of more than five full time members of staff. We were immensely proud to be awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, which recognises outstanding work by volunteers to benefit their communities.
A pond at Netherstead
This year we made great progress with our wetland and pond creation at Netherstead, creating four new ponds and four scrapes, as well as relandscaping three existing ponds to increase the area of marginal wetland habitat.
A community of adults and children tree planting.
We were awarded a £499,446 grant from the Trees Call to Action Fund (TCAF) for a three-year project, working in partnership with Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, and Wychavon District Councils. The project team will encourage and support local people, landowners, and communities, to get more trees planted across our local landscape and community spaces.
A young oak sapling that has been recently planted with a cane for support
A significant investment was made in going plastic-free with our tree protection for all the trees planted this season, and we trialled planting with no protection across a 59-acre site.
A group of schoolchildren sat on logs whilst listening to two members of staff giving a brief
1,115 young people visited the Forest for the first time as part of the GRCF funded Growing Future Forest Guardians project at Gorcott Hill. The key aims of the project were to provide opportunities for more people to increase their connection with nature and improve their skills.
An aerial view of the Forest with small ponds amongst the mature trees
Gorcott Hill was granted Local Wildlife Site (LWS) status due to its scientific and cultural importance. Ancient semi-natural woodlands are irreplaceable natural assets that support many rare plants and animals and make a vital contribution to conserving biodiversity.
A child checking a net whilst on a biodiversity survey
The GRCF funded Growing Future Forest Guardians project at Gorcott Hill enabled significant restoration and enhancement of the 21.4 hectare site that contains woodland, hedgerows, grassland, and ponds, which are all priority Biodiversity Action Plan habitats.
Two members of staff standing in front of a tractor at the tree nursery
Five young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) completed their Supported Internship in the Forest, and four are now employed in permanent paid roles in the charity.
Find out more about our work and achievements
There are many ways that you can help to grow the Forest