New Sandridge forest to host festival day

IF you go down to the woods on Saturday, you re sure of a big treat. The Heartwood Festival at the site of the planned new forest for St Albans takes place between 11am and 3pm around Langley Wood with parking in a field off Sandridgebury Lane. Children a

IF you go down to the woods on Saturday, you're sure of a big treat.

The Heartwood Festival at the site of the planned new forest for St Albans takes place between 11am and 3pm around Langley Wood with parking in a field off Sandridgebury Lane.

Children are invited to bring their teddies as there's a picnic for them at midday - with a prize for the best dressed teddy - followed by bushcraft for bears, charcoal and chalk drawing and a kids colouring wall.

The festival will also see the unveiling of a new green masterpiece - an exhibition of the Woodland Trust's detailed vision for its planned new forest.

The trust has recently submitted its Heartwood vision within a detailed Environmental Statement to the Forestry Commission (FC), whose approval is required before planting of native trees can start.

A spokesman for the trust said: "It's taken a year of research, investigations, surveys, meetings, greetings and report writing but we've finally finished our Environmental Impact Assessment and our application has gone into the FC."

The festival will also include willow weaving and sculpting, refreshments, green wood turning, guided walks, woodland sculptures and much more.