The
National Forest Horse Riding Guide Front Cover
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Ministerial
Carriage Tour Of The National Forest
Minister
for Nature Conservation, Ben Bradshaw took to a horse and
carriage recently to view one of the new woodland sites in
The National Forest. Provision for equestrian activities is
a high priority in the creation of the Forest, which spans
200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Staffordshire
and Derbyshire.
On
his first visit since taking on Ministerial responsibility
for the Forest within its sponsoring Department, Defra (Department
for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), Mr Bradshaw was
impressed by the massive transformation that had taken place
within the short lifetime of the Forest.
He
said: "Defra's aim is sustainability and the National
Forest Company is doing well to help us achieve this aim.
It is important that we continue to create and enhance areas
such as this for recreational needs, to increase public access,
and people's participation in the new woodland."
The
National Forest Company's horse riding guide (now in its third
edition) lists 42 sites where you can ride through new and
established woodland, including cross-country courses, carriage
driving routes and details of links with existing bridleways
and parking facilities. For your copy of the guide call 01283
551211.
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From left, Andrew Kirkland, landowner; Geoff Kirby, Atherstone Riding
Club;
Viv Astling, Chairman, National Forest Company and Ben Bradshaw,
Minister
for Nature Conservation.
The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties
of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its objective is
to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial
six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale
has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion
of woodland cover for the Forest has already more than doubled to
over 14 per cent. The National Forest Company was given the job
of overseeing the creation of the Forest
in 1995.
Year
by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was
once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose,
sustainable forest. Already five million trees have been planted.
The National Forest provides environmental and economic benefits,
including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats
and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent
example of sustainable development - with environmental improvement
providing a stimulus to economic regeneration.
From left, Andrew Kirkland, landowner; Geoff Kirby, Atherstone Riding
Club
and Ben Bradshaw, Minister for Nature Conservation.
www.nationalforest.org
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