Paradise Wood

Paradise Wood is our national research woodland. This incredible resource is a living genetic library, and the largest collection of hardwood timber trials in the country.

What to see

In order to preserve the scientific trials, Paradise Wood is not open to the general public. We do occasionally have open days and tours. Please visit What’s On to see if anything is coming up.

As well as the research trials, there are also a number of non-research plantings. These include shelter belts and conservation areas which incorporate a wide variety of tree and shrub species. These features not only enhance the local landscape, but also provide benefits to wildlife.

History

The first trees were planted in 1993 on former arable land, known in medieval times as ‘Paradise Field’. Since then, around 60,000 trees have been planted.

Management

Earth Trust is championing a new sustainable model for our trees and forests – integrated management, which balances their value for amenity and for wildlife, as well as for economic, sustainable timber production.

The research at Paradise Wood is primarily focused on the production of high quality hardwood timber. There are many hardwood tree species grown in Britain, but we have chosen five species to include in our tree breeding programme: Ash, Beech, Cherry, Oak and Walnut. These species were selected because of their commercial importance and their ability to grow well in mixtures and on a variety of sites. We also undertake additional research into the environmental and economic aspects of commercial broadleaved forestry.