New Woodlands

Research has shown that nearly a third of all the ancient woodland in Central Lincolnshire was lost between 1820 and 1973. The compact nature of the Limewoods area, and the fact that many of the remaining woods are close together, make it possible to enhance the farmed landscape surrounding the woods to enable wildlife to spread across the landscape.

The Forestry Commission actively supported the creation of new woodlands in the Limewoods area through their “JIGSAW” programme – Joining and Increasing Grant Scheme for Ancient Woodlands”. Prior to the start of the Limewoods Project, this grant scheme supported the creation of 49 ha of new native woodland, linking together a number of the ancient woodlands.

In 2008, the Limewoods Project funded a final year of woodland creation through the Limewoods Native Woodland Challenge Fund. This enabled the creation of a further 24ha of new native woodland creation, bringing the total area of new woodland created across the Limewoods area to over 100ha.

In 2007, a major woodland creation project was started in the Limewoods area thanks to the Woodland Trust. Purchasing 95ha of arable land close to Wragby the aim was to create two new community woodlands. Planting was completed in 2010 and the two areas, both which extend ancient woodlands, are now a fantastic place to see the new woodlands and other habitats developing.