First trees planted to expand Wistman’s Wood

Kensington Palace has announced the successful planting of the first trees as part of an ambitious project to double the size of Wistman’s Wood, one of the South West’s rarest and most iconic temperate rainforests.

A group of volunteers gathered last week to plant 450 saplings and protect naturally regenerated trees, contributing to a long-term effort to expand the renowned Wistman’s Wood. 

The project is a collaboration between the Duchy of Cornwall, Natural England, Moor Trees, the Woodland Trust, and local tenant farmers.

Wistman’s Wood, located on Dartmoor, is one of the few remaining examples of temperate rainforest in the UK. Temperate rainforests are globally rare, with 90 per cent of these habitats lost since the Bronze Age. 

Only 8 per cent of temperate rainforests remain in Devon and Cornwall.

The newly planted trees are part of the Duchy of Cornwall’s plan to double the size of Wistman’s Wood. 

The long-term aim is to create a ‘mirror image’ of the existing woodland, which currently covers over seven acres of the West Dart Valley in Devon. 

Wistman’s Wood is celebrated for its rich biodiversity, including rare species of mosses and lichens, and is designated as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Geraint Richards, Head Forester to the Duchy of Cornwall, expressed his thoughts on the project: “The work at the iconic Wistman’s Wood is a flagship for the wider work that the Duchy of Cornwall and its many partners on Dartmoor have been working on in recent years. This shared approach to the enhancement of nature, people’s access to and enjoyment of the countryside will help underpin the future sustainability of Dartmoor’s farmed landscape and the vibrance of its local communities.”

The project has been underway since 2021 when Moor Trees, an organisation focused on tree planting, began working with the Duchy of Cornwall to gather acorns and rowan seeds from Wistman’s Wood. 

These seeds were then grown in Moor Trees' community nursery in Dartington, South Devon. Helen Aldis, Chief Executive of Moor Trees, commented: “Moor Trees is proud to be supporting The Duchy of Cornwall and Natural England with the propagation and supply of Wistman’s Wood provenance oaks and rowans as part of this vital restoration and expansion project of this iconic temperate rainforest. By using trees sourced from local, ancient woodlands, the trees we plant will share the genetics and have the resilience to survive and thrive in this setting.”

The expansion project also involves careful management of grazing livestock by Duchy farmer John Malseed, whose practices have resulted in a good number of young oak trees regenerating around the woodland’s edge.

Andrew Bakere, Senior Reserves Manager at Natural England, emphasised the importance of partnerships in the restoration effort: “I am delighted to be working closely with our partners to deliver Nature Recovery to some of the rarest habitats in the UK; it is only through this partnership that the expansion of these habitats will happen.”

The Woodland Trust has provided funding to help control grazing in the area through stock fencing. 

Sam Manning, the Woodland Trust’s Project Officer for South West rainforests, said: “Wistman’s Wood is an iconic Temperate Rainforest site, and emblematic of the wider mission to restore rainforests in the UK. The Woodland Trust is delighted to be supporting the project by funding stock fencing that will allow the control of grazing animals and is essential in allowing the new woodland to establish. This has been made possible thanks to the support of players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. We are committed to not only protecting and restoring precious ancient temperate rainforest in Cornwall and Devon but expanding it too. It's a really exciting time for the restoration of nature.”

This marks the first phase of an important project to restore and expand one of the UK's most valuable ecosystems, ensuring that future generations will benefit from the preservation of Wistman’s Wood.