3.5/5)Dunwich Forest is a mixture of coniferous and broadleaved woodland and is accessible from Dunwich village and is a part of the Suffolk Coasts and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The forest links into some wonderful conservation areas of marshland and wetland and is great for walkers. North Dunwich Forest has a circular walk. Park either in the Newdelight Walks Car Park or the Hog's Grove Car Park and follow the waymarked trail.
Harvesting Operations
Dunwich Rewilding Project
Dunwich Forest is currently undergoing a process of 'rewilding' with a long term plan to recreate and regenerate the natural landscape that existed prior to the conifer plantations.
The managment of the forest is now a partnership between the Forestry Commission, Suffolk Wildlife Trust and RSBP, with the more northern area being managed by SWT and grazed by a herd of Dartmoor ponies.
The heathland habitat to the south is being managed by the RSPB. The area covered by heathland will increase as conifer crops are gradually harvested and areas of deciduous trees are allowed to revert to heather.
Lowland heath is one of the rarest of all Britain's wildlife habitats and is vital to the survival of many rare species of birds, reptiles and butterflies.
What do other visitors say?
Ed, 10/May/20172 Stars
Walked here with the dog at the weekend. Shocked to see it in this state. Parts of the wood is still nice (Westleton side) It was windy and cold where the trees had been taken down. Such a shame.
Neil Mahler, 9/May/20175 Stars
I would imagine most of these ignorant comments are from dog walkers who like to let their dogs off the leads and run through the trees without being seen and told off.
These are the dogs which become lost resulting in the owner sticking 'Lost Dog' notices all over the place. The dogs end up spooking the deer who panic and get their heads stuck in fencing and are then at the mercy of the dogs and end up dying.
If the dog is not recovered they end up becoming hungry and kill sheep.
Now that the trees are being harvested (the reason they were planted in the first place) the dog owners do not like it because they can be more easily seen when they do not keep their dogs under control.
Lowland Heath is totally different to Moorland and is an extremely scarce habitat world wide of which the UK has some of the most in Europe (despite losing about 90% of it)
The Sandlings has always been a mosaic of heathlands which over the years has been lost to farming and forestry, military air bases, housing, and even supermarkets, horse riding events (Hollesley) and motorcycle scramble tracks (Blythburgh). Pig rearing is a more recent development.
Full marks to the Forestry Commission, RSPB and the SWT for what they are trying to achieve.
Tim, 26/Mar/20171 Star
Have to agree with Gwen you've destroyed the forest its more of a moody wood.
Please tell us about your visit
Please email us at alice.greenacre@forestry.gsi.gov.uk if you have an enquiry, a complaint or would like a personal reply to your comments.