More people than ever before have taken part in National Forest activities, according to the National Forest Company�s Annual Report for 2008/9, published this week.

Over 23,200 individuals were involved with the Forest throughout the year, through Forest-related events commissioned by the National Forest Company (NFC), and over 41,000 children took part in environmental education sessions.

This exceeded the Company�s target for improving participation in the Forest. All NFC targets are agreed by the Forest�s sponsor government department, Defra, and in the areas of forest quality, climate change, sustainable economic development and leadership all targets were achieved, ensuring the continuing positive impact of The National Forest on the area�s communities, visitors, landscape and wildlife.

In a challenging year with little availability of land, the NFC achieved a creditable 121ha of new Forest creation against a target of 150ha and secured 58ha of nature conservation sites, exceeding the target of 50ha. Contributing to Forest creation were 11 sites covering over 50 hectares, delivered during this the first year of operation of the new Changing Landscapes grant scheme. Woodland cover over the whole of the Forest�s 200 square miles has now reached 18%, three times the original figure of 6%, and well on the way to achieving the eventual target of around a third.

The headline achievements for the year include: � Recognition of The National Forest as one of the first three UK examples of the European Landscape Convention. � The re-establishment of the Woodland Owners� Club, as a driver for good woodland management, including dealing with pests and diseases. � The completion of a comprehensive bird survey, applying national surveying methods. � The installation of further high quality visitor signage and furniture in the East and West Midlands. (The tourism economy was confirmed as being worth more than �260m a year). � The highly successful first National Forest Walking Festival was held, supported by the NFC.

A major review of the development of the Forest took place during the year, at the mid point in the 2004-2014 National Forest strategy. Dinah Nichols, NFC Chair, said: �This has been a year in which affection for and pride in The National Forest was restated clearly and with passion by friends and partners. Over 1,000 residents contributed to our consultation on the next five years and their deep appreciation of the quality of life provided by The National Forest is an immense encouragement to us all.�

The National Forest Company Annual Report 2008/9 is available to download at www.nationalforest.org

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Media contacts: For further information contact Mike Dewsnap, Chief Officer, Corporate Services NFC, or Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, NFC, on 01283 551211. For background information please visit www.nationalforest.org Digital images available, contact: media@nationalforest.org

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover in the Forest has already trebled to 18 per cent and over 7 million trees have been planted.

2. Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest. The National Forest provides environmental, social and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development � with environmental improvement providing a stimulus both to economic regeneration and to community pride and activity.

3. To achieve these objectives, the National Forest Company leads the creation of The National Forest, working in partnership with landowners, local authorities, private business, voluntary organisations and local communities and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public. The Company, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2005, receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.