Efforts to restore Royal Forest around Harrogate gain momentum

Spanning 45 square miles, the equivalent of approximately 18,000 football pitches, the Royal Forest of Knaresborough was a popular royal retreat in the 12th Century. This diverse landscape, stretching from Thrushcross Reservoir to the west, to Knaresborough, enjoyed a special protected status as a royal hunting ground, allowing a rich mosaic of habitats and wildlife to thrive. Today only fragments of the original landscape remain, including pockets of important ancient woodland.

Local community groups are now leading the way in protecting and expanding the woodland and biodiversity in the Royal Forest of Knaresborough area, with support from White Rose Forest, the Community Forest for North and West Yorkshire. The White Rose Forest team works with landowners, local government, businesses and communities across North and West Yorkshire to plan, fund and plant trees and hedgerows. Thanks to collaborative efforts between the White Rose Forest team and local community groups, such as Long Lands Common and the Friends of Nidd Gorge Country Park, several projects are now underway to protect and expand new and existing woodland.

Between Bilton and Starbeck you’ll find Long Lands Common, a community-owned nature reserve managed by a group of dedicated local volunteers who want to preserve and improve the land for nature and the enjoyment of future generations. So far, thanks to White Rose Forest funding, 2,500 trees have either already been planted, or will be very shortly this planting season, with more to come in future planting seasons. Zero Carbon Harrogate is a member of the White Rose Forest partnership forum and its natural climate solution lead, Ian Fraser, has been working with the Long Lands Common team drafting the funding applications.

James McKay, Chair of Long Lands Common community, said: "Support from White Rose Forest has been vital for the continuing success of Long Lands Common, enabling us to access funding, delivery partners and guidance for our community-owned woodland creation project. In particular, we have benefitted from the in-person visits and consultations from White Rose Forest staff who have helped shape our project."

The White Rose Forest team is also working with North Yorkshire Council and the Friends of Nidd Gorge Country Park to plant over 7 hectares of woodland at Bilton Beck and Bilton Farm. The aim of these projects is to expand and diversify the woodland that is already found along the Nidd Gorge valley to provide more homes for wildlife, capture carbon and slow the flow of water to help prevent flooding for nearby residents. The woodland will be accessible for everyone to enjoy, and volunteers can get involved in planting and maintenance activities.

Much of the woodland and habitat creation work has been made possible through community volunteering and the generous contributions of local businesses, who recognise the benefits this work will bring.

Rebecca Royce, Project Officer at the White Rose Forest, said: “One of our aims as a Community Forest is to support the local community to get involved in our projects. We work with landowners, businesses and community groups to create opportunities for volunteers to come and plant trees close to their community. We want people to feel connected to the woodlands on their doorstep.”

Anyone interested in volunteering can find out more via the Long Lands Common website or Friends of Nidd Gorge. Local businesses interested in giving back to the community and landowners with suitable land for woodland creation in the Harrogate area can contact the White Rose Forest team for more information at www.whiteroseforest.org.

Zero Carbon Harrogate is a local charity dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices within our community.