When it comes to Epping Forest, I so frequently hear misinformation, such as the forest is run by Epping Forest District Council and paid for by local taxes, but the truth is the forest is a charity which receives no funding from local taxes at all. Many people think that the former Royal Forest was given by Queen Victoria to the general public but it was actually given to ‘The Mayor and Commonality and Citizens of the City of London’ to act as Trustees and Conservators, running the forest in accordance with a law set by Parliament in the Epping Forest Act 1878. Many don’t understand that Epping Forest is the biggest public open space in the whole of London and Essex combined, therefore it is critical to the health and wellbeing of millions of people.
To help inform those with an interest in Epping Forest about the work the charity does each year, we have launched a new Annual Review. This covers our strategic ambitions, the projects we have been working on over the past year and the challenges we face. You can download the Annual Review here.
As well as the remarkable staff who support the charity around the clock, I would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank-you to the hundreds of volunteers who dedicate so much time to supporting conservation and other works. The charity would be lost without you!
Finally, if you are interested in supporting the critical work of this charity, you can donate online here.
