Spring Update
14/03/2025
Since the official opening of the York Community Woodland the 193-acre site has seen the community accessing the space which it is hoped will offer picturesque walking routes, boost biodiversity, improve air quality and help mitigate soil erosion and flooding. A car parking space has been created just off the junction with North Field Lane and Moor Lane and easy access is available from the cycle path and from the Poppleton Park & Ride bus service.
As the wood develops over the next few years, Forestry England have plans for several community initiatives to be developed. This will include plans for more volunteer events and for the formation of a York Community Woodland Friends’ Group in due course as well as other activities, on-site events, and educational initiatives. General updates are available through Forestry England’s website and email contact, and residents can sign up to the newsletter for details of future opportunities.
The 210,000 trees planted will eventually create a balanced, mixed broadleaf woodland, and incorporate areas of open space/wood meadow. These are planted in a number of fenced copse arrangements which has reduced the requirement for plastic tree guards. Any tree guards used are of a plastic-free type that will break down naturally. Once the trees are established, they will be thinned to create a more natural feel, and the fences removed. In total, 26 different species of tree and shrub were planted on the site, which will take some time to develop, but the woodland will begin to naturalise over the next few decades. In addition, the woodland is an important element of City of York Council’s move towards Net Zero carbon emissions with the woodland forecast to sequestrate circa 18,500 tonnes of CO2e.
The Parish Council will continue to work with both Forestry England and CYC to develop this wonderful community resource in the coming years.
Cllr Gary Thompson
March 2025
Previous Updates
Updated: 21/08/2024
The Parish Council are pleased to announce that, after years in the planning, the York Community Woodland is now officially open to the public.
This new green space was officially opened on 20th August with The Rt Hon Lord Mayor of York, Margaret Wells and Chair of the Forestry Commission, Sir William Worsley cutting the ribbon.
There are car parking facilities accessible from Northfield Lane. We believe that the woodland will be a valuable amenity to be much enjoyed by residents.
Forestry England has a detailed map available to view online.
Updated: 01/03/2024
We are delighted to share some recent updates from Forestry England regarding York Community Woodland ahead of the public launch later this summer.
Progress update
Forestry England welcomed many volunteers to help with the planting efforts during the recent school holidays enabling local residents to contribute their time to the project development. Thank you to all who took part.
The previously mentioned Civil Engineering work for the car park and woodland tracks is underway, however, the recent significant rainfall has unfortunately slowed progress in this area.
We will continue to update this page as we have more news and confirmation of an opening date.
Stay connected
To keep supporters up to date with future progress, Forestry England has set up social media accounts which you can find links to below. This is where they will share regular updates and encourage conversation and feedback once the woodland is launched, so please give them a follow.
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/YorkWoodland
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/yorkwoodland/
Forestry England would like to convey their thanks again for your continued support and they hope you can share in the positive impact we can create together in enhancing our green spaces.
Updated: 25/01/2024
Since the last update, there have been significant strides in the woodland creation project. Phase two of planting was completed, with 85k trees now firmly in the ground, helped along by eight sessions of public planting events. You may have seen that the 50 thousandth tree to be planted was in partnership with the City of York council back in the summer. As Autumn started, the team were busy with tree maintenance to ensure that those planted were healthy and thriving.
Civil Engineering work started with the provision of a car park and woodland tracks being installed. The design team mapped out where maps and interpretation panels are going to be situated, and the creative process behind that is now underway.
Upcoming plans
In the coming months, the final parts of the puzzle will be put in place. New planting in phase 3 areas will commence, establishing the remainder of trees onsite.
Updated: 30/09/2023
Parish Councillors Peter Rollings (Chair), Linda Young and Gary Thompson met with Nick Short of Forestry England this month to gain an insight into the progress of the York Community Woodland.
Taking advantage of the better weather, the Forestry England team have been working on access roads to facilitate the major planting operation taking place. A car parking space has been created just off the junction with North Field Lane and Moor Lane and this will also allow easy access from the cycle path and from the Poppleton Park & Ride bus service.
The trees to be planted will create a balanced, mixed woodland with predominantly oak but with a total of 12 different species. These are planted in a copse arrangement protected by deer fences, reducing the requirement for plastic tree guards. Any tree guards used will be of a plastic-free type that will break down naturally.
Nick explained that the planting will allow signposted access on foot, bicycle, and horse through various parts of the woodland and the plan shows footpaths and walkways between the planting as well as picnic areas and a forest school teaching space. Biodiversity is a key focus and there will be wildlife ‘scrapes’ or shallow ponds spaced throughout as well as raptor boxes.
Work will continue at pace to establish the access and further planting until winter when work will inevitably slow down but this promises to be a wonderful resource for York and the local community.
You can view the plan and read more about the project on the Forestry England website.
Cllr Gary Thompson
September 2023
Updated: 20/10/2021
A master plan for the design of the new Community Woodland has been approved by the Executive of City of York Council. In total it is planned to plant 80,000 trees of which 50,000 are hoped to be planted within the next year, thus helping York in its net zero carbon ambitions. The Woodland is to be interspersed with wildflower glades, footpaths and cycle rides. A Visitor Centre may be added at a later date.
It has been agreed that Forestry England will manage the entire project on behalf of CYC.
Peter Rollings, Chairman of the Parish Council, along with Councillor John Flynn met with Cllr Paula Widdowson, the Executive Member of CYC responsible for the project, to address a number of concerns over, amongst others, parking, security and safety, bins, and toilets. It was confirmed that none of these issues had, as yet, been finalised and we were promised that the Parish Council would be fully involved with Forestry England in the detailed delivery of the Woodland.
Specifically on parking, it is intended to provide provision in the Woodland near the lay-by on the B1224, with additional facilities at the end of Northfield Lane but, as stated, full details have yet to be finalised.
It is important to stress that this is a long-term project and due to the amount of land work to take place and the need for establishment of the trees access to the public will not be available for many years yet.
Updated: 17/05/2021
City of York Council are still seeking the views of residents and local organisations on their plans and ideas for York Community Woodland, and have recently extended the survey deadline to 26th May 2021.
Have your say by completing their short online survey. The will use the feedback received to make recommendations to the council’s Executive about:
A final ‘community owned’ woodland vision
The final woodland design plan
How residents and local groups can be actively involved in creating the woodland
How people can be involved in the woodland’s ongoing management
As a part of the consultation, residents are also invited to suggest possible names for the new woodland that reflect the heritage of the local area and tie in with the project’s ambitions.
Updated: 15/04/2021
York Community Woodland have launched the co-design phase of this project with the public being invited to view the Woodland concept designs and provide feedback. This consultation is open until 19th May so please have your say by completing their online survey or alternatively let us know if you have any issues that you would like us to pursue on your behalf.
Updated: 29/03/2021
The Parish Council have been invited to join a Stakeholder Advisory Group which is to assist in the design and delivery of the Community Woodland in the Parish. Councillor John Flynn is our representative on this group.
The first meeting of the group was held on the 16th of March when we heard of preliminary site investigation work and analysis. A number of designs for the woodland are being drawn up and these will shortly go out to public consultation, which will provide you with the opportunity to make your views known.
Original Post: 16/11/2020
City of York Council have announced the purchase of land West of Knapton for the purpose of creating Community Woodland. This is a significant part of the Council’s plan for York to become carbon neutral by 2030. It is anticipated that over time 50,000 trees will be planted over the next few years, and plans include a children’s play area, wildflower meadows, footpaths and trails and a café area.
The land concerned can be seen on the Map, outlined in red. No detailed plans on layout and design have yet been formulated. City of York Council’s lead on Climate Change, Cllr Paula Widdowson spoke to the Parish Council at our last meeting at which the Parish Council requested representation on any steering group responsible for developing the detailed plans. We have been promised full consultation at all stages of the project.
We believe that this project will be of overall benefit to the Parish but as always it is the detail that is important.
We will endeavour to update this article as the project progresses. In the meantime, you can find out more or register for regular updates on the City of York Council website.