Situated in Lawshall, Suffolk, Forest for Our Children's aim is to provide an ongoing educational and recreational amenity for the community. It is also actively working to increase biodiversity by building new habitats for wildlife.

Inspired by our work in Papua New Guinea, the project began in 1993 when William Takaku, Chief of the Flying Fox Clan, crossed the world (at his own expense) to plant the inaugural tree at All Saints Primary School.

Two woods, totalling 9 Hectares, have been designed and planted by the community. Crooked Wood (1 Ha) - part donated by a local landowner - was planted in 1993 and Golden Wood (4 Ha), between 1994 and 2002. An additional 4 hectares was opened in 2004.

The funds for land acquisition have been raised in many ways. For example:
social & fundraising events have included storytellings, woodland BBQs and boundary walks around the parish.

Who looks after them?

Green Light has entrusted Forest for Our Children to a village Steering Group who meet to manage all aspects of the project - ensuring that it is run by the community for the community, for the future.

Woodland Work Parties

Monthly work parties bring volunteers together to plant, manage and learn traditional silviculture skills. Areas of ash, hazel and willow will be coppiced in rotation so the woodland will look different year by year. The coppiced timber will be used for firewood and traditional crafts while stands of mature oak will eventually grace the landscape.

Children and young people

Lawshall schoolchildren are engaged in From Seed to Tree, an annual cycle of activities - from collecting acorns in Year 1 to planting out their saplings in Year 4. A rainforest workshop maintains the link with Papua New Guinea and in 2000, Mathew Yafei, Chief of the Eagle Clan came to plant the project's millennium yew.

The project is also helping All Saints achieve its Eco School status.

A Youth Action Group provides continuity for pupils moving on to middle school. The group has special responsibility for looking after the smaller wood and reps sit on the project Steering Group.

Forest for Our Children is the springboard to our wider Community-owned WildSpace with Green Light scheme, and many schools have already adopted the From Seed to Tree programme

"I am sorry that you cannot understand my words- but the tree understands!"
- Mathew Yafei, from Papua New Guinea, after blessing the project's millennium yew in his rainforest language

Information on Community-owned WildSpace

Read details of From Seed to Tree

Find out about our link with Papua New Guinea