Houses below Silver How in Grasmere copyright Helen Reynolds

Importance of trees and woodlands

The Lake District National Park has a rich and diverse mix of trees, woodlands and forests. This ranges from large public forests such as Grizedale and Whinlatter with benefits such as tourism to small farm woodlands that have great economic and environmental value.

The National Park is also home to some culturally and ecologically significant individual trees including veteran yews and ash pollards.

Facts and figures

  • Woodland covers 12 percent of the National Park, around 28,500 hectares
  • 9,500 hectares is owned or managed by the Forestry Commission
  • 12,000 hectares is broadleaf woodland
  • 620 hectares of woodland is owned and managed by us

Figures from National Inventory of Trees and Woodlands 1999

The benefits of trees

Trees make a significant contribution to many of the special qualities of the National Park, in particular:

  • Diverse landscape from mountain to coast
  • Unique farmed landscape and concentration of common land
  • Wealth of habitats and wildlife
  • Extensive semi-natural woodlands
  • Opportunities for quiet enjoyment

Trees, woodlands and forests contribute to all four outcomes of the Partnership's Vision. They deliver a wide range of public and market-based goods, services and benefits, also known as "ecosystem services".