Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood, National Forest woodland in Normanton le Heath, England
Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood is a woodland in the National Forest near Normanton le Heath with over 300,000 native trees including oak, field maple, silver birch, beech, and hornbeam. The site spreads across former opencast mining land and is crossed by paths that connect to larger walking routes.
The woodland was established in 2012 by the Woodland Trust to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's sixty years of reign. It was created on the site of a former opencast coal mining operation, demonstrating how conservation efforts restore damaged land.
The woodland features integrated earth artwork by artist Rosie Leventon that blends with the landscape. Walking through the site, you can notice traces of different historical periods that shaped the land.
The site can be accessed via surfaced paths that are part of the National Forest Way and link to other walking routes. A bird hide provides good opportunities for wildlife watching, and nearby facilities are available in Coalville.
At the heart of the woodland sits a lake formed in an old coal pit that now hosts water birds such as mute swans, little grebes, tufted ducks, and terns. This transformation of industrial wasteland into habitat shows nature recovery in action.
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