New Woodland Signage At Needwood

In partnership with The National Forest, the Duchy of Lancaster has recently installed new pathfinder signage and information boards across the woodlands on its Needwood Estate in Staffordshire.

Needwood was originally a popular Royal hunting forest, with significant stocks of deer and wild boar. It was gifted to Edmund, first Duke of Lancaster by his father King Henry III in 1266 and forms part of the ancient inheritance which became the Duchy of Lancaster. Today, the Duchy woodland is enjoyed by many, with footpaths and permissive routes in Bolingbroke Wood, Crossplain Wood, Eland Wood, Jackson’s Bank and Dolefoot Lane Wood.

• Bolingbroke Wood is 17 acres of broadleaved and coniferous trees planted in 1999 to commemorate the 600^th anniversary of Henry IV’s accession to the throne. As part of a scheme to revitalise the landscape, the Duchy has dedicated a permissive path for public use and enjoyment, which links with Eland Wood to create a scenic circular walk.
• Crossplain Wood is a 15-acre site planted with broadleaf trees in 1997 to create a new woodland and a protected wildlife corridor. It runs along the southern boundary of Tatenhill Airfield and is helping to restore the natural landscape with its patchwork of woodland, hedgerows and open fields.
• Eland Wood is 25 acres of mixed broadleaved and coniferous tree planting. A remnant of the ancient hunting forest, it links together new woodland areas of the National Forest and forms part of a scenic circular walk with Bolingbroke Wood.
• Jackson’s Bank covers 81 acres and features a mix of broadleaf and coniferous trees. Stocks were significantly diminished during the Second World War when the timber was used to provide props for trenches. In the intervening years, it has been significantly restocked and, as a replanted ancient woodland, also serves as a valuable nature conservation site. Public footpaths link the site to nearby Crossplain Wood and the Needwood Circular walk. It is also home to one of six Noon Columns designed by internationally renowned artist David Nash which are located in the National Forest. Slots cut into these three-metre-tall oak sculptures allow rays of sunlight through at true noon each day.
• Dolefoot Lane Wood is also part of the Duchy of Lancaster’s ancient inheritance and once formed part of Royal Needwood Forest. The wood, planted in 2020 with broadleaf and coniferous trees, is a good example of how the National Forest is helping to transform the local landscape in this area, increasing forest cover and creating a range of new wildlife habitats.

Commenting on the project, Duchy Head of Rural Investment, Mark Coombs said: “The National Forest extends across 200 square miles of the Midlands and links the remnants of the ancient forests of Charnwood and Needwood. It has been one of the UK’s most significant environmental initiatives and is perfectly aligned to our own ambitions to enhance the long-term sustainability of our rural estates. We are delighted to be working in partnership with them at Needwood and believe that the new signage will encourage more people to enjoy, take pride in and protect the natural landscape which surrounds them.”

The new pathfinder totems, way-markers and interpretation boards are made from oak and include aluminium panels. The boards contain a mix of historical facts about the Duchy of Lancaster, details of the different species of trees that make up the woodland and notes of the types of flora and fauna present. The new signage has been placed at strategic points on key access routes and public walkways.