BBC Four: Tales From the Wild Wood

Jo Clark, Earth Trust's Forestry Research Manager, will be appearing in a new BBC Four series in which writer and woodsman Rob Penn begins a year-long project to bring an abandoned woodland, Strawberry Cottage Wood, back to life. During the series Rob encounters various issues and approaches a range of experts for guidance. In the first episode Rob introduces pigs to clear bracken and brambles and plans his work for the year.

In episode 4, broadcast on Wednesday 7th November, Jo shows Rob the Earth Trust research woodland, Paradise Wood. They explore 'future proofing' forests: planting trees that will survive both today and future climates, show resilience to pests and diseases; while considering the varied uses of woodland and taking local biodiversity into account.

The government's proposal to sell state-owned forests and woodlands back in 2010 met huge opposition with more than half a million signing an online petition against the policy. An Independent Panel on Forestry was set up following a government u-turn and the Panel's final report, published in July this year, stated that England's publicly owned forest estate is a national asset and should not be sold off.

The Panel's report highlighted the need for a change of culture: it's not enough to set forests aside, safe from land developers, we need to manage our woodland to ensure economic returns, nature and biodiversity as well as for people's health and wellbeing.

Read the Earth Trust's response to the report here...

The six part series starts on Wednesday 17th October, BBC Four at 20.30 and is repeated on Thursday at 22.50 and on Sunday on BBC HD at 18.30.