Paradise Wood


Paradise Wood is a research woodland established by the Earth Trust between the villages of Little Wittenham and Long Wittenham in Oxfordshire England. It has evolved to become the largest collection of hardwood forestry trials in Britain.
Planning for the wood started in 1992 and tree planting began in 1993. The Research Woodland was originally conceived and developed by Gabriel Hemery and was established as a centre for research into the improvement of the quality and productivity hardwood trees. The ultimate aim is to create a woodland of 55 hectares in area. It contains a large number of trials supervised by the Future Trees Trust.
On the northern edge of Paradise Wood a small community woodland was planted in 2005 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. It was named after as part of a project with the Woodland Trust. It provides free public access and contains some oak trials.

Research trials

Beech
Cherry
Oak
Walnut
Agroforestry or 'silvo-poultry'
In 2012, Earthwatch Institute, a global non-profit that teams volunteers with scientists to conduct important environmental research, launched a program called "Paradise Wood - Experimental Plantation in England." This unique project, run jointly by Earthwatch and the Earth Trust, allows volunteers to join studies to help forest managers grow trees successfully in light of predicted climate change.