Hatfield Forest

Description

Hatfield Forest is the most intact and evocative medieval hunting forest in the country. Beyond its historical significance, it is a haven for over 3,500 species of wildlife and a place of leisure and relaxation for visitors. This short guide introduces you to the Forest's rich past, reveals some of its fascinating features and explains how the National Trust manages its precious habitat. The best surviving example of a royal hunting forest still in existence, Hatfield Forest has survived for over a thousand years and has seen many owners, from kings to commoners. The traditional woodland management techniques of coppicing and pollarding have been practised here for centuries. It is largely thanks to these continued practices that the Forest's ecology and landscape have been preserved. Today, it is one of the largest areas of land in East Anglia which has never been ploughed and represents an important habitat for rare species. This book tells the story of the Forest from its beginnings as part of the Wild Wood 12,000 years ago, to the challenges it faces in the future.