Regional Focus

Introduction

The Great Western Community Forest (GWCF)straddles two Government regions – the southeast and southwest. However, the majority of the Forest area (82%) falls within the southwest region and at present GWCF focuses its relationships with the southwest region.

Over the past two years, in partnership with the Forest of Avon, considerable progress has been made in raising the profile of the two Forests (as South West Community Forests) and becoming embedded in new regional policy areas, in particular related to green infrastructure planning.

Regionally, GWCF has an input to the Regional Spatial Strategy, Regional Woodland Forestry Framework and CIAT (Countryside in and around towns) and continues to raise awareness of Community Forests in the southwest and southeast through Natural England and regional assemblies such as the Rural Development Agency, Government Office of the Southwest and Government Office of the Southeast.