Can anyone own a wood?
This autumn’s wonderful colours have lit up our countryside. The numerous trees and woodlands are a blessing to us all in mid-Hampshire, but who owns them? Or put another way, can anyone own a woodland?
The answer is ‘yes’ and many readers will have seen the ‘woodlands for sale’ signs appearing from time to time beside our roads. The idea of purchasing one’s own corner of England for conservation, to enjoy as an amenity, or to develop woodland crafts has begun to catch on. Websites such as woodlands.co.uk typically have 40 or 50 woodlands for sale with starting prices about that of a family car.
Julian Evans, who was formerly the Forestry Commission’s Chief Research Office at the Alice Holt Research Station, was commissioned to write an introductory guide to the thrills and spills of owning your own wood. The book ‘Badgers, Beeches and Blisters – Getting started in your own wood’ is published by Patula Books for £8.95. He has also written the story of his own experience in ‘What Happened to Our Wood’
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