The Heritage Lottery Fund granted £4.76 m towards the
implementation of the £6.8m Branching Out project. The remaining
money is coming from the City of London, Essex County Council and
other key project partners.
Our exciting five year Heritage Lottery funded project,
Branching Out, began in 2009 to bring the past to life and
help preserve the Forest for future enjoyment.
Heritage
Epping Forest trees have seen many centuries come and go. To
bring this history alive we are
- building a new interpretation centre next to the
Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge, Chingford. The display will
include our letters, books, diaries and recently discovered archive
materials;
- returning Butler’s Retreat to its former Victorian glory as a
Tea Room; and
- offering 25 schools the opportunity to explore the Forest
through our education programme Discovering Epping
Forest.
Access
We are improving access for everyone to get to and enjoy the
Forest by
- creating six way marked trails to explore;
- outreach activities to introduce people and communities
who have never visited before;
- giving you the chance to care for your Forest through
volunteering,
events and activities;
improving car parks and accessible paths; and
- the Forest Transport Strategy with new Gateways, which
will emphasise the special nature of the Forest.
Trees
A programme of management for our 1200 veteran trees has
begun—the most ancient being over 400 years old. We have purchased
specialist equipment and we will employ 15 apprentice arborists
over the next five years.
Grazing
The Wood Pasture of Epping Forest is a rare and valuable
habitat of international significance. To preserve this, we
will be increasing the number of cattle on the Forest and extending
the grazing season.
Branching Out Update: July 2010
This summer the Forest has been alive with our Branching Out
project! The Heritage Lottery Funded project is changing the
Forest, bringing long lasting improvements for you to enjoy today
and in the future.
Chris Blandford Associates have begun drawing up prototype
designs for the redevelopment of our car parks and waterside
accessible trails this July. They are working on our four hub
areas:
- Connaught Waters, Chingford
- Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge and surrounds, Chingford
- the Pillow Mounds, High Beach and
- Jubilee Pond, Wanstead Flats.
The development works at our Interpretation Centre next to Queen
Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge will be starting in late summer.
Work will include the redevelopment of the Interpretation Centre
and relaunch of next door Butlers Retreat as a tea room. Pop into
Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge to find out what is going on. You
could get involved in one of the Open House events we will be
running to give you a sneaky peek into the buildings before they
have been rebuilt.
This summer we have been running all sorts of Forest
introduction events bringing new audiences to Epping Forest.
Activities from building bird boxes with young people from
Walthamstow to discovering bluebells with a Women’s Group from
Forest Gate.
Epping Forest is growing and changing with the seasons
and through the work of projects such as Branching Out. If
you would like more information about the Branching
Out project, or are a member of a Community Group
interested in getting to know Epping Forest, please
email our
Community Liaison Officer.