Visitor award for Heartwood Forest

After seven years of hard work by local people, Heartwood Forest, St Albans, has been given a special seal of approval by Visit England.

After being assessed against national standards, the area has been awarded Quality Assured Visitor Attraction status, meaning it is considered a place well worth visiting and exploring.

The Woodland Trust and its volunteers have planted 500,000 trees. These, with ancient woodland, new wildflower meadows, and a community orchard are now home to a host of wildlife. The vast, beautiful forest, in the middle of London’s greenbelt, is now a valuable resource for visitors, while remaining an important and carefully managed wildlife habitat.

There is a new visitor hub and a series of new trails. A programme of summer events is also planned to help raise the £200,000 a year needed to maintain the forest.

Samantha Herbert