Swinley Forest is also very much a working woodland, sustainably producing over 10,000 tonnes of timber every year - which is used for a variety of purposes including construction, fencing and heating homes.
The techniques that we employ are designed to provide the best opportunities for wildlife, and this is an important part of our Stewardship - resulting in both SSSI and SPA designation. Through a clear felling and re-stocking programme, our forest plan delivers transient open spaces which create a special habitat for our rare ground nesting birds. This clear felling also provides us with an opportunity to diversify the tree species within Swinley Forest - which in turn will hopefully become more resilient to potential climate change, and to a plethora of pest and diseases which threaten them.
All of our forests on the Windsor Estate, including Swinley, are covered by a long term plan which provides a vision for the woodland for the next 100 years and beyond. This rigorous planning allows us to hold Forestry Stewardship Council and Pan-European Forestry Certificates – and these independent accreditations demonstrate that we manage our forest to the highest environmental, commercial and socially sustainable standards. Since 2000 our commercial forests and woodlands have been awarded Forest Stewardship Council® certification, so complying with the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) - recognised as the kite-mark of sustainable forest management. We are committed to maintaining these standards through our certification body the Soil Association (Woodmark).
When you visit Swinley Forest, you may encounter heavy forestry machinery. We understand that these are exciting to see, especially for children, but please be respectful of any safety directions that are provided around these activities. For the latest news about ongoing work in the forest, please visit our Visitor Updates page.
There is an annual car park membership* to include access to Buttersteep Forest and Swinley Park.
All spaces have now been allocated. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected] to register your interest.
* There are only a limited number of Annual Car Park Memberships for Buttersteep Forest and Swinley Park available.
Explore other aspects of Great Windsor Park.
