Urban Forestry
In spite of organisational challenges, by 1992 we were working with increasingly large sums and our income, at over £5million a year, gave us credibility. At this time Development Corporations and so-called New Towns were winding up and looking for organisations acceptable to government and capable of taking on their woodland areas. We already had experience in Tyne and Wear at the James Steel Park. In 1987 we had taken over 17 areas forming an important amenity along the River Wear and as early as Newsletter 24 reported that we were talking to other Development Corporations. The New Towns had generally gained a good reputation in caring for woods in their developments and in establishing new areas. Development Corporations were obviously keen to find responsible and suitable new owners. Their options included local authorities, local wildlife groups (County Trusts) and the Trust. Once again the Trust was well placed to take advantage of the situation having demonstrated its ability to work in the urban fringe woods including Joydens Wood on the edge of greater London, Dog Kennel Wood near Preston and Heald Wood in Burnley. It had also successfully demonstrated its community involvement in its Community Woods in Bromsgrove and Luton that it could involve local people in the management of the areas. Several Local Authorities, including Plymouth City Council, had already passed areas into the Trust’s care.
The Trust was becoming part of a growing movement to enhance the built environment and acknowledged in its publications the other organisations involved. These included the newly formed urban wildlife groups, the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and the Groundwork Foundation which was setting up trusts specifically to promote urban conservation. However Urban Forestry was still in its infancy: the first UK Conference on Urban Forestry in Wolverhampton had only been held in 1988. The Trust’s reputation in the area was sufficient for Mary Worrell, Community Woodland Officer, to be asked to contribute an article on Community Events to the Forestry Commission handbook which resulted from the conference.