The Woodland Trust revealed more details of its plan to create a flagship forest in Epsom to commemorate the anniversary of World War One at two public meetings.
The meetings, held on Sunday, March 23, at Langley Vale village hall, involved a presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. Those attending were also asked to fill in a questionnaire.
Jane Race, from Epsom, who attended the second meeting, said the trust explained that it just needs to raise £100,000 from public donations to hit its financial target to create four Centenary Woods, the English one in Epsom, and one each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This is because £3m has already been donated for the £12m project and every £1 donated will be matched by £90 pledged by businesses.
Mrs Race said working groups would be set up to look at how to create and manage the 200,000 tree wood and the trust wants to speak with key members of the community.
A map of the proposed Centenary Wood in Langley Vale
She said a landscaped area rather than a statue or monument is to be created as a commemoration, with a national, not simply Epsom focus, as this will be England’s only Centenary Wood.
The trust is looking at launching 'a dedicate a tree' programme in June with a likely cost of £20 per tree.
The trust said it will be working with Surrey County Council to reduce the traffic congestion which could be caused by the forest. Public access to the site will be from Headley Road to a main car park. There will be toilets on site but no cafe.
For the next two years, Langley Bottom Farm will remain a working farm, but beyond this the trust does not know what will happen to it.
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