The Deer Park: how farming can meet a modern vision of sustainability

The Deer Park is now a thriving diversified farm shop and cafe - a celebration of local artisans and producers. Skilled chefs craft dishes from nearby farms’ bounty, complemented by a selection of handmade cakes and pastries. A gift shop stocked with unique, hand-made items, together with a local butcher, make the perfect place for a wander around after a woodland walk and coffee. Listen as Lesley talks about all the benefits they’ve seen since working with the National Forest. 

Alongside their efforts to diversify the farm, the Prince family sought to contribute to environmental conservation. This is where the team at the National Forest became a crucial partner. Over the past 30 years, we have worked with farmers and landowners to increase forest cover from 6% to more than 22%. 

If you have been inspired by the Prince’s story and have a vision for your farm or land’s future sustainability then talk to us.  We've got a committed and approachable team that are keen to talk to farmers and landowners. We've got grants that we could provide up to 100% of the costs of planting those trees to help deliver those ambitions and aspirations. 

So far, we have planted 9 million trees in the National Forest. If you want to part of growing a greener future but don’t own land, you can still support this work by making a donation or helping us create more woodlands by dedicating a tree.