A Forest School is defined by the Forest School England Network as: \\\"...an inspirational process that offers children, young people and adults regular opportunities to achieve, and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands on learningexperiences in a local woodland environment.\\\"

What are Forest Schools? Forest Schools originated in Scandinavia in the 1950s as a way of learning about the natural world. By the 1980s they had become an integral part of the Danish early years programme. Forest Schools are successful for children of all ages who visit the same local woodlands on a regular basis. Through play, they learn about the natural environment, how to handle risks and most importantly to use their own initiative to solve problems and co-operate with others. Programmes run throughout the year going to the woods in all weathers. Children use full sized tools, play, learn boundaries of behaviour (both physical and social), and grow in confidence, self-esteem and motivation.

How to find out more about Forest Schools near you... The Forest Education Initiative (FEI) supports the development of local Forest Schools, by offering local and national expertise and advice from eight FEI national partners and access to internal funding as a constituted FEI cluster group.

England: In October 2002, a seminar was held at Bishops Wood Centre, Worcester, to assess the national interest in Forest Schools. As a result of this, a Forest School England network was created, with support from Susannah Podmore, coordinator for England. Tel: 07768 036542 Email: fei.england@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.

Wales: Forest School Leaders in Wales include woodland owners, teachers, craftspeople, early years specialists and youth workers. The resulting Forest Schools are very diverse and use a range of woodland settings to meet the needs of different client groups.

South East Wales (Carol Travers): Tel: 0845 604 0845 Email: Carol.travers@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

SW Wales (Owen Thurgate): Tel 0845 604 0845 Email: owen.thurgate@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

North and Mid Wales (Kim Burnham): Tel: 0845 604 0845 Email: kimburnham@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or fei.wales@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Scotland (Bonnie Maggio): Tel: 01738 771 034 Email: bonnie.maggio@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or fei.scotland@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Northern Ireland: Do you know the best person to contact in Ireland? If so please let us know and we can add them in. The only reference I could find to the one in Fermanagh was in this doc http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/educationvisits06.pdf (page 10) – Castle Archdale Country Park, the first Woodland School Partnership in Northern Ireland. Contact: The Educator, tel 028 68621588. Also look at www.forestschools.com and click on the map.