The new edition of Forest Scene is bursting with news and stories from The National Forest. For walkers or cyclists; photographers or poets; for those who want to plant one tree or a whole woodland, there is something for everyone in Forest Scene� plus two pages of events from now until May 2010.

Plans for a new long distance trail across The National Forest have taken a great step forward with the appointment of a National Forest Trail Development Officer. Over the next year, Reuben Brown will be working with people across the Forest to map out the detail of the new National Forest Trail. Stretching from Charnwood in the east to Needwood in the west, the Trail will take in the sights, sounds and experiences that The National Forest has to offer. Sam Lattaway, Biodiversity & Access Officer for the National Forest Company, said: �By the end of 2010 we will have a route designed. The next challenge will be to raise the funds and then start work on creating this exciting new contribution to The National Forest.�

Local landowners can create small woods for free in The National Forest. The new Freewoods scheme is designed to be simple, attractive - and completely free! Create a firewood wood, which could help reduce domestic heating bills; plant a wildlife wood, with the best possible conditions to attract birds and other wildlife; plant trees specifically to provide year round colour, or a roadside wood for privacy, noise dampening and landscaping.

Snow leopards will be at Twycross Zoo, on the southern edge of the Forest, when a brand new Visitor Centre and Himalayan landscape-themed enclosure opens in spring 2010. The Gardener�s Bothy is a new garden store and rural craft workshop at Staunton Harold near Ashby de la Zouch. It is the �shop window� for local company Cameron Forest & Garden Ltd, and will also showcase the talents of other rural craftspeople and local businesses operating in The National Forest.

Professional photographer Christopher Beech has put together Ten Top Tips for happy snappers to make the most of a trip to the Forest and capture the silhouettes of winter trees or the fresh green leaves of spring.

Hitting the streets when Christmas shopping is looming, Forest Scene highlights The National Forest�s plantatree scheme, which may be just what is needed to make the gift list more manageable! For �25 you get a personalised certificate and an invitation for both you and the person you are buying for to attend a special tree planting event. You plant your choice of tiny tree, usually an oak, ash or birch, with the help of National Forest foresters, in a woodland that will always be open for you to visit.

Read these stories and more in Forest Scene online at www.nationalforest.org or tel: 01283 551211 for a copy to be sent to you.

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Media contacts: For further information contact Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, at the National Forest Company, on 01283 551211. For background information please visit www.nationalforest.org Digital images available, contact: media@nationalforest.org Read Forest Scene online at www.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 receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

4. In 2008 the National Forest Company and partners won the Sustainable Development UK Award, for their work in Ashby Woulds, at the heart of The National Forest.