For The Woodland Trust
Planting 115,000 Trees in Norfolk
Project Overview and Scope
The Thompson Woodland Creation scheme is a 63-hectare project located in Thompson village, Norfolk. This large-scale initiative, which includes logistics, the planting of over 115,000 trees and 6 years maintenance service, is a partnership between the Woodland Trust and Maydencroft.
The remit assigned to Maydencroft involves the physical delivery of the woodland, encompassing three phases of planting followed by three years of intensive establishment maintenance. The project is being delivered over a three-year cycle, starting in 2025, to ensure high-quality establishment and management across a diverse landscape.
Core objectives
The primary objectives of the scheme are:
- Tree Cover: To increase overall woodland cover within the Norfolk landscape.
- Community: To enhance amenity spaces for public use and wellbeing.
- Carbon Sequestration: To create and sell carbon units to support long-term environmental sustainability.
- Biodiversity: To improve local biodiversity and strengthen habitat connectivity between Thetford Forest and the local Pingos (small, crate-like depressions formed by melting underground ice).
- Resources: To provide a sustainable timber resource in the long term.
Planting specifications and phasing
The project is divided into two distinct typologies: Broadleaf Woodland and Wood Pasture. Total planting figures are phased as follows:
| Phase / Year | Type | Area (ha) | Density (stems/ha) | Total stems |
| Phase 1 (2025) | Broadleaf Woodland | 11.02 | 2,250 | 27,795 |
| Wood Pasture | 4.60 | 4.00 | 1,840 | |
| Phase 2 (2026) | Broadleaf Woodland | 19.46 | 2,250 | 43,785 |
| Wood Pasture | 8.28 | 400 | 3,312 | |
| Phase 3 (2027) | Broadleaf Woodland | 17.50 | 2,250 | 39,375 |
| Wood Pasture | 2.40 | 400 | 960 |
Species mix and resilience
All stock is UK-grown and sourced from a local nursery to ensure biosecurity and local provenance. The species mix for Phase 1 includes:
- Primary Species: Pedunculate Oak (20%), Silver Birch (18%), Downy Birch (8%), and Hawthorn (8%).
- Diverse Mix: Hazel, Aspen, Common Alder, Rowan, Field Maple, and Goat Willow.
- Minority/Shrub Species: Small Leaved Lime, White Willow, Common Beech, Crab Apple, Dog Rose, Blackthorn, and Alder Buckthorn.
The selection is tailored to local soil conditions and designed to create a multi-structured system that is resilient to future pests, diseases, and climate pressures.
Technical specification and UKFS compliance
The design adheres strictly to the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS). To avoid monocultures and encourage structural diversity, trees are planted in clusters of 15–25 stems. This prevents faster-growing species from out-competing others and creates varied niches for flora and fauna.
Historic environment and Pingo conservation
A critical element of the design is the protection of Pingos, rare relict periglacial landforms found on and adjacent to the site. The woodland layout incorporates intentional open ground buffers around these features. This preserves their hydrology, form, and visibility, ensuring the historic and geomorphological interest of the site is safeguarded in accordance with UKFS heritage requirements.
Water and soil protection
By transitioning the land from arable use to woodland, the project reduces surface water runoff and soil erosion. This protects the water quality of the pingos by lowering the risk of nutrient enrichment and sediment mobilisation.
Tree protection and sustainable establishment
To manage deer and rabbit pressure while minimising plastic use, Maydencroft implemented a tiered protection strategy:
- Woodland Areas: Utilise perimeter deer fencing and rabbit netting combined with individual vole guards. This approach negates the need for 1.2m plastic tree tubes.
- Wood Pasture: Trees are planted in roundels and protected with 1.8m biodegradable tree guards to withstand future grazing pressure.
Maintenance programme
In accordance with Woodland Trust policy, no glyphosate is used for weed control. Instead, establishment is supported through:
- Inter-row Mowing: Conducted annually in May and August for three years post-planting for woodland phases.
- Manual Strimming: Used for wood pasture areas where curved layouts preclude mechanical mowing.
- Beat-up and Restock: Annual surveys and replanting during Autumn/Winter for the two seasons following initial planting to ensure target stocking densities are met.
Social benefit and quality assurance
The delivery includes the creation of 5km of permissive paths that link to the wider public rights of way network, including the Pingo Way. This facilitates community access for recreation and wellbeing, responding to the increased public demand for managed outdoor spaces.
