Kielder Forest
Encyclopedia
Kielder Forest is a large forestry plantation in Northumberland
, England
, surrounding the reservoir Kielder Water
. It is the largest man-made woodland in Europe. The majority of the forest lies within The Border Forest Park with the southern tip, known as Wark Forest
, lying within Northumberland National Park
.
Forestry Commission
, which initiated the first plantings in the 1920s. During the 1930s, the Ministry of Labour
supplied men from among the ranks of the unemployed. Many came from the mining communities and shipyards of North East England
. They were housed in one of a number of instructional centres created by the Ministry, most of them on Forestry Commission property; by 1938, the Ministry had 38 Instructional Centres across Britain. The hutted camp in Kielder is now under Kielder Water. Numerous purpose-built villages were also constructed for workers' families, including Stonehaugh
.
Prior to the 1920s, the land was predominantly open moorland, managed for grouse
shooting and sheep grazing with remnants of native upland woodland existing along stream sides and in isolated craggy areas. The Forestry Commission, funded from the public purse, purchased land across the country with the brief of establishing a strategic reserve of timber for the nation. This single objective held sway until the 1960s. Since that time, management principles have changed in order to reflect rising awareness of environmental needs and to provide recreational facilities whilst seeking to maintain a sustainable supply of timber. Kielder today remains state-owned and its development from a single-objective plantation
to a multi-purpose forest mirrors the development of plantation forestry across the United Kingdom.
to the north-east but is generally well-defined on other sides. It reaches a maximum height of 602 m at Peel Fell
and also contains the Marilyns
of Sighty Crag
and Larriston Fells. These hills, despite not being very high, are particularly remote owing to the scarcity of settlement in the region. Indeed, Sighty Crag is the furthest hill in England from a road.
. Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) covers 75% of the planted area; this species thrives in the damp conditions afforded by northern Britain. Other species include Norway Spruce
(Picea abies) and Lodgepole Pine
(Pinus contorta), which cover 9% of the area each. The remainder is made up of Scots Pine
(Pinus sylvestris), larch
(Larix spp.), Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii), and broadleaves including birch
(Betula spp.), Rowan
(Sorbus aucuparia), cherry
(Prunus spp.), oak
(Quercus spp.), Beech
(Fagus sylvatica), and willow
(Salix spp.).
ing, chipboard
, pulp
and wood fuel
customers. Most of this volume comes from clearfelling
areas; an increasing percentage however is sourced from stands harvested under continuous cover silviculture
systems. Clear felled areas are replanted with a mix of coniferous
and broadleaf
tree species, opportunities are also taken to increase the proportion of open space and to improved the riparian
habitat. As with all Forestry Commission
woodlands timber is independently certified under the Forest Stewardship Council
scheme.
, primarily associated with the upland moorland environment. A programme of restoration of Border Mires is ongoing. The forest is one of the last English strongholds of the European red squirrel
, and provides excellent habitat for many species of birds of prey
. A large population of roe deer
is actively managed. Many archaeological
remains can be found within the forest and are an important cultural link to the often turbulent history
of the area.
, which has been converted into a visitor and information centre. It is located on the edge of Kielder Village
at the head of the River North Tyne
valley.
The Castle serves as a hub for the growing number of recreational facilities on offer, walking and cycling trails, picnic areas and a forest drive.
The forest contains a number of art and architectural installations including a Skyspace designed by James Turrell
and Wave Chamber, a camera obscura
in a stone cairn by Chris Drury.
The forest also contains Kielder Observatory
which is an astronomical observatory.
In 2010, former British distance runner Steve Cram
inaugurated the Kielder Marathon, around the lake.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, surrounding the reservoir Kielder Water
Kielder Water
Kielder Water is a large artificial reservoir in Northumberland in North East England. It is the largest artificial lake in the United Kingdom by capacity and it is surrounded by Kielder Forest, the largest human-made woodland in Europe. It was planned in the late 1960s to satisfy an expected rise...
. It is the largest man-made woodland in Europe. The majority of the forest lies within The Border Forest Park with the southern tip, known as Wark Forest
Wark Forest
Wark Forest is the name of the southern part of Kielder Forest in Northumberland England. Wark Forest is found within the south-west tip of Northumberland National Park....
, lying within Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. It covers an area of more than 1030 km² between the Scottish Border in the north to just south of Hadrian's Wall. It is one of the least populated and least visited of the National Parks...
.
History
The forest is owned and managed by the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
, which initiated the first plantings in the 1920s. During the 1930s, the Ministry of Labour
Ministry of Labour
The Ministry of Labour was a British civil service department established by the New Ministries and Secretaries Act 1916. It was renamed the Employment Department in 1988, and finally abolished in 1995...
supplied men from among the ranks of the unemployed. Many came from the mining communities and shipyards of North East England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
. They were housed in one of a number of instructional centres created by the Ministry, most of them on Forestry Commission property; by 1938, the Ministry had 38 Instructional Centres across Britain. The hutted camp in Kielder is now under Kielder Water. Numerous purpose-built villages were also constructed for workers' families, including Stonehaugh
Stonehaugh
Stonehaugh is a small settlement in Northumberland about west of Wark and 4 Roman miles north of Hadrian's Wall. It was purpose-built for housing forestry workers in the 1950s. Mechanisation has reduced the necessity for such concentrated manpower, so the modern population is more diverse...
.
Prior to the 1920s, the land was predominantly open moorland, managed for grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
shooting and sheep grazing with remnants of native upland woodland existing along stream sides and in isolated craggy areas. The Forestry Commission, funded from the public purse, purchased land across the country with the brief of establishing a strategic reserve of timber for the nation. This single objective held sway until the 1960s. Since that time, management principles have changed in order to reflect rising awareness of environmental needs and to provide recreational facilities whilst seeking to maintain a sustainable supply of timber. Kielder today remains state-owned and its development from a single-objective plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
to a multi-purpose forest mirrors the development of plantation forestry across the United Kingdom.
Geography
The name 'Kielder Forest' is often also applied to the area of hills and remote moorland that surround the forestry plantations. The group of hills merges into the CheviotsCheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...
to the north-east but is generally well-defined on other sides. It reaches a maximum height of 602 m at Peel Fell
Peel Fell
Peel Fell is the highest hill in the Kielder Forest region of England, making it the highest hill for several miles in each direction until the Cheviot Hills to the north-east are reached. Because of this, it has enough relative height to make it a Marilyn...
and also contains the Marilyns
Marilyn (hill)
A Marilyn is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or Isle of Man with a relative height of at least 150 metres , regardless of absolute height or other merit...
of Sighty Crag
Sighty Crag
Sighty Crag is a hill in the southern part of the Kielder Forest region in northern England, a region which also includes its fellow Marilyns of Peel Fell and Larriston Fells...
and Larriston Fells. These hills, despite not being very high, are particularly remote owing to the scarcity of settlement in the region. Indeed, Sighty Crag is the furthest hill in England from a road.
Trees
Kielder is dominated by conifersPinophyta
The conifers, division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferophyta or Coniferae, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. Pinophytes are gymnosperms. They are cone-bearing seed plants with vascular tissue; all extant conifers are woody plants, the great majority being...
. Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) covers 75% of the planted area; this species thrives in the damp conditions afforded by northern Britain. Other species include Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
(Picea abies) and Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...
(Pinus contorta), which cover 9% of the area each. The remainder is made up of Scots Pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
(Pinus sylvestris), larch
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
(Larix spp.), Douglas-fir
Coast Douglas-fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii, known as Douglas-fir, Oregon Pine, or Douglas spruce, is an evergreen conifer species native to western North America. Its variety Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii, also known as coast Douglas-fir grows in the coastal regions, from west-central British Columbia, Canada...
(Pseudotsuga menziesii), and broadleaves including birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
(Betula spp.), Rowan
Rowan
The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or small trees in genus Sorbus of family Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies...
(Sorbus aucuparia), cherry
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. There are around 430 species spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament.-Botany:Members of the genus...
(Prunus spp.), oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
(Quercus spp.), Beech
European Beech
Fagus sylvatica, the European Beech or Common Beech, is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae.-Natural range:...
(Fagus sylvatica), and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
(Salix spp.).
Timber
475,000 cubic metres of timber is harvested annually to supply local sawmillSawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
ing, chipboard
Particle board
Particle board, or particleboard , is an engineered wood product manufactured from wood particles, such as wood chips, sawmill shavings, or even saw dust, and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed and extruded...
, pulp
Pulp (paper)
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...
and wood fuel
Wood fuel
Wood fuel is wood used as fuel. The burning of wood is currently the largest use of energy derived from a solid fuel biomass. Wood fuel can be used for cooking and heating, and occasionally for fueling steam engines and steam turbines that generate electricity. Wood fuel may be available as...
customers. Most of this volume comes from clearfelling
Clearcutting
Clearcutting, or clearfelling, is a controversial forestry/logging practice in which most or all trees in an area are uniformly cut down. Clearcutting, along with shelterwood and seed tree harvests, is used by foresters to create certain types of forest ecosystems and to promote select species that...
areas; an increasing percentage however is sourced from stands harvested under continuous cover silviculture
Selection cutting
Selection cutting is the silvicultural practice of harvesting a proportion of the trees in a stand. Selection cutting is the practice of removing mature timber or the lessening of older trees to improve the timber stand. This system may be used to manage even or uneven-aged stands...
systems. Clear felled areas are replanted with a mix of coniferous
Pinophyta
The conifers, division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferophyta or Coniferae, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. Pinophytes are gymnosperms. They are cone-bearing seed plants with vascular tissue; all extant conifers are woody plants, the great majority being...
and broadleaf
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
tree species, opportunities are also taken to increase the proportion of open space and to improved the riparian
Riparian zone
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by...
habitat. As with all Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
woodlands timber is independently certified under the Forest Stewardship Council
Forest Stewardship Council
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder organization established in 1993 to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Its main tools for achieving this are standard setting, independent certification and labeling of forest products...
scheme.
Environment
The forest contains a number of sites of special scientific interestSite of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, primarily associated with the upland moorland environment. A programme of restoration of Border Mires is ongoing. The forest is one of the last English strongholds of the European red squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
, and provides excellent habitat for many species of birds of prey
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
. A large population of roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
is actively managed. Many archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
remains can be found within the forest and are an important cultural link to the often turbulent history
Border Reivers
Border Reivers were raiders along the Anglo–Scottish border from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. Their ranks consisted of both Scottish and English families, and they raided the entire border country without regard to their victims' nationality...
of the area.
Recreation
Kielder Castle Visitor Centre is an 18th century hunting lodge built by the Duke of NorthumberlandDuke of Northumberland
The Duke of Northumberland is a title in the peerage of Great Britain that has been created several times. Since the third creation in 1766, the title has belonged to the House of Percy , which held the title of Earl of Northumberland from 1377....
, which has been converted into a visitor and information centre. It is located on the edge of Kielder Village
Kielder, Northumberland
Kielder Village is a small settlement in North Tynedale, Northumberland, England. Located at the head of Kielder Water and in the north west of Kielder Forest, the village is from the Scottish border.-History:...
at the head of the River North Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
valley.
The Castle serves as a hub for the growing number of recreational facilities on offer, walking and cycling trails, picnic areas and a forest drive.
The forest contains a number of art and architectural installations including a Skyspace designed by James Turrell
James Turrell
James Turrell is an American artist primarily concerned with light and space. Turrell was a MacArthur Fellow in 1984. He is represented by The Pace Gallery in New York...
and Wave Chamber, a camera obscura
Camera obscura
The camera obscura is an optical device that projects an image of its surroundings on a screen. It is used in drawing and for entertainment, and was one of the inventions that led to photography. The device consists of a box or room with a hole in one side...
in a stone cairn by Chris Drury.
The forest also contains Kielder Observatory
Kielder Observatory
Kielder Observatory is an astronomical observatory located in Kielder Forest, Northumberland, England. It is situated close to the Scottish border on Black Fell near James Turrell's Kielder Skyspace. The site was carefully chosen by the steering group set up to direct the development of the...
which is an astronomical observatory.
In 2010, former British distance runner Steve Cram
Steve Cram
Stephen "Steve" Cram MBE is a British retired athlete. Along with fellow Britons Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, he was one of the world's dominant middle distance runners during the 1980s. Nicknamed "The Jarrow Arrow", Cram set world records in the 1500 metres, 2000 metres and the mile during a...
inaugurated the Kielder Marathon, around the lake.
External links
- Visit Kielder - official visitor site for Kielder Water & Forest Park
- Kielder Castle Forest Park Centre - official site at the Forestry Commission
- Kielder Water and Forest Park Guide from VisitNorthumberland.com