Chairman's Message

Over he last few months The National Forest Company, in cooperation with a host of o her players, has launched a number of key initiatives. The National Forest & Beyond tourism campaign and he LANDshapes project are two such examples which to me demonstrate a maturity and confidence in the core task of creating a new forest for the nation.

Another example, and a further miles one in our development, is the publication of the new Walks Guide. When you visit high profile tourist areas such as the Lakes, the South West or the Highlands they produce a wealth of well-researched material on walking and to her leisure pursuits. Our Walks Guide is produced to a very high quality and covers 15 complete walks from 3 miles to a 22 mile marathon. Each walk has been devised by our staff or by experienced volunteers. So for keen walkers here's now over 130 miles of National Forest way-marked paths.

The Guide as a whole charts the growth of the Forest in an explanatory narrative highlighting Tender Schemes and to her historical as well as more recent developments. Sampling some of the walks has brought home to me what a dramatic change the Forest is making to the landscape. And how much is still to be done - hence the need for the revision of the Strategy, and a continuing framework for Forest development 2004-2014.

Forest Walks Guide: £5 from Tourist Information Centres within the Forest or from The National Forest Company. Tel: 01283 551211 or buy online.