Welcome to Pleasant Forest
We are creating a new multi-purpose woodland on a 127-hectare site formerly known as Pleasant Farm in Lenham, Kent. Find out more about the project, including the latest updates, here.
Latest news from the project
With help from the community, contractors and Forestry England staff, the first 70,000 trees were planted in late 2021 and early 2022. The small trees were tended and maintained during summer 2022 to ensure their survival and planting will be completed in the winter 2023/24 planting season.
The public consultation for Pleasant Forest closed in February 2021. We had some great video and phone calls with local residents and organisations who contributed some brilliant ideas. Our design plans were finalised and can be read in the consultation document.
Working with nature
We intend to increase and enhance the many benefits the landscape provides now and consider what more it can offer, including locking up carbon emissions, growing sustainable timber and providing habitats for wildlife.
Forestry England have created a special computer-based tool so we can test different ways to plan and plant new woodlands. We are using this at Pleasant Forest to make sure it delivers a balanced range of benefits. Read more about our natural capital accounting.
Working with the community
We will invest in low-key public access and recreation at Pleasant Forest, making it a woodland that people can enjoy on their doorstep. The new woodland will also contribute to the local economy and provide opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds within the community.
We’ll keep talking and listening to local people as we plan the new woodland to inform our plans to manage this landscape.
Working in a sensitive catchment
Over 57 hectares of Pleasant Forest lies within the Stodmarsh water catchment for nutrient sensitivity.
The ongoing transformation of Pleasant Farm to Pleasant Forest has created nitrogen and phosphate nutrient credits in the catchment. Details of the nutrient neutrality project can be found in our Pleasant Forest nutrient neutrality scheme report.
