About Thames Chase Community Forest
Thames Chase is a Community Forest and is one of twelve Community Forests in England. It is a partnership project with a long-term aim:
"To renew and regenerate the landscape at the edge of East London and South Essex by creating Thames Chase, the Community Forest: a varied wooded landscape for local people to influence, create, use, enjoy and cherish."
Its target is to increase the woodland cover in the Thames Chase area to 30% by 2030, from just 8% cover when Thames Chase was established in 1990. This will require the planting of 5.5million trees on some 2,000ha (5,000 acres) of land. The work of Thames Chase falls into six key areas, within which are more
detailed objectives: New woodlands are being created in a wide variety of ways; from small plantings around development sites to the recent large-scale plantings carried out by the Forestry Commission. New woodlands are also being created on many of the mineral extraction and landfill sites found within Thames Chase. The planting is part of the planned restoration process, which will return the sites to publicly accessible, Community Forest landscapes. Since 1990, over 1.3million new trees have been planted in Thames Chase - increasing the level of woodland from the 8% in 1990 to almost 13% now.
This equates to 472ha of new woodland planting. Managing Existing WoodlandsSome of Thames Chase’s best known sites are existing woodlands that are being managed for public enjoyment and nature conservation. Examples are Belhus Woods Country Park and Thorndon Country Park. Creating and Improving Access Access within Thames Chase is crucial for local people to fully enjoy all the benefits. There are over 90km (56miles) of paths on the 47 sites currently open to public access. Over 50km of these paths have been created since 1990 alone. Additionally, we are seeking to connect existing and new sites with "greenways" – off-road routes for pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and those with disabilities. Community Forests are all about involving local people in the processes and places that make the Community Forest. Trees, woodlands and green spaces bring people together, especially when changes to an area have been made possible with strong community support. When communities take ownership of their environment and make it a healthier and more attractive place to live, it is more likely to be cared for by local people and respected by visitors.
Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment
In addition to woodlands, other habitats such as meadows, grasslands, wetlands, river valleys, commons and hedges are all essential parts of the Community Forest. These are being conserved, enhanced, or even created, to improve both the landscape and the biodiversity of Thames Chase. For example, over 37km (23 miles) of hedgerows have been created or improved since 1990. Working in Partnership and Attracting FundingThames Chase is a partnership project and many organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors are all involved in creating the Community Forest. Working in partnership helps to focus resources and harness skills and experience to achieve a wider strategic vision. All of these actions help to achieve environmental, social and economic regeneration.
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