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Reviving the Great Wood on St Helena

The reforestation of man made drylands in the Millennium Forest

Restoration St Helena
Millennium Forest staff cleaning invasive plant species in readiness to plant endemic gumwood. Copyright: St Helena National Trust

About

Through human intervention, the Great Wood was destroyed and this area of St Helena  became barren. In 2000, the community on St Helena came together and started a reforestation project to revive the Great Wood by clearing invasive plant species and replanting with endemic plants. To date, only 7% of the reserve is managed.

The St Helena National Trust would like to expand the endemic planting and research innovative practices such as carbon off setting to assist the Forest in becoming financial sustainable. SHNT also use the forest as our outdoor classroom to teach students about our natural environment, enrichment for differently-abled people, well-being such as yoga and rehabilitation for probationary services.

Endemic gumwood trees developing in the Millennium Forest, run by St Helena National Trust and probably one of the most successful Millennium projects anywhere. Copyright: Dr Mike Pienkowski
Endemic gumwood trees developing in the Millennium Forest, run by St Helena National Trust and probably one of the most successful Millennium projects anywhere. Copyright: Dr Mike Pienkowski

Budget

The project is seeking funding for between £50,000-£250,000 to develop this programme.

Contributions towards International Targets

Global Biodiversity Framework Targets

Sustainable Development Goals

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) sets global goals to protect biodiversity through its targets, most recently updated as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022. These targets aim to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and include goals such as protecting 30% of land and sea areas, restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems, reducing pollution, and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. They cover a wide range of issues, including health, education, gender equality, clean water, climate action, and biodiversity. Each goal has specific targets and indicators to measure progress, encouraging countries to work together toward a more sustainable and equitable future.

SHNT CBD Targets
SHNT SDGs

The St Helena National Trust

The St Helena National Trust is the largest non government organisation (NGO) located on the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. They carry out a range of conservation projects looking after St Helena’s unique terrestrial, marine, built and cultural heritage. The Trust plays a large role in raising the education and awareness of the island’s heritage in the local and international communities.

Contact us

Please contact us at hello@ukotcf.org 

UKOTCF  registered as a limited company in England and Wales No. 3216892 and a Registered Charity No. 1058483.