Name agreed for new native forest

A new native woodland of 600,000 trees in Hertfordshire is to be called Heartwood Forest.

The Woodland Trust has agreed the name for the 858 acre (345 hectare) site to the north of St Albans, which will become the UK's largest native forest.

The trust purchased the farmland at the beginning of October and the first tree is due to be planted next autumn.

It has started an £8.5m appeal to pay for tree planting and the management of the site for the next five years.

Project manager Toby Woodland said: "It's fantastic to have a new name for the site."

He said the forest at Sandridge would become available for public access at the rate of 170 acres (69 hectares) per year as tree planting progresses.