Why have a Community Woodland? – A community woodland delivers a sustainable and permanent wood for the future that can be handed down to all future generations. A place for enjoyment, recreation and education. A haven for birds and other wildlife. A stimulus for our children to start a lifelong interest and awareness of the environment, wildflowers and wildlife. A wood that will absorb noise and air pollution.

Steering Group – Great Barton now has a strong and fully constituted group of residents who are the 41^st such group supported by the Green Light Trust of Lawshall. Since the initial public meeting in May 2007 when the Trust gave an illustrated presentation about creating a community woodland in Great Barton, the group have put in over 250 hours of voluntary work to push the project forward.

Woodland - managed by the community for the community - We intend to create a new natural woodland planted with native hardwood trees using local stock and traditional techniques such as coppicing and hedge-laying. It will be landscaped with paths and drifts so as to provide a rich habitat for wildlife and wildflowers. The site will be created and maintained by volunteers. It will have full public access for the benefit of one and all.

From seed to Tree – In October the Year 1 children at Great Barton V.C.P. School, with the help of staff, parents and Steering Group members, collected acorns from beneath the parent oak tree near Holy Innocents’ Church and planted them in the newly constructed tree nursery in the school grounds. When they reach Year 4 they will be able to plant their trees in what will be our new community woodland. Each autumn the new Year 1 children will collect and plant their acorns.

Long Term Goal - Over the next two years the group aim to raise money by donation, fund raising events and grant applications, sufficient to acquire at least three acres of land.