Horse riders who use Cannock Chase are being given an opportunity to have their say on the future management of the popular woodland.
They are invited to trot along to the Birches Valley Forest Centre in Cannock Chase on Thursday 19th January between 2pm and 7:30pm to tell Forestry Commission staff what the Chase is like from riders’ point of view.

The local forest management team is running a consultation day to gather information about how riders use the Chase. Recreation ranger Georgina High explained,
“This information will then help the local team to allocate resources and manage the forest with horse riders in mind. The people who ride horses regularly on the Chase are the best people to give us this information, so we are keen for them to come along and have their say.”
Birches Valley Forest Centre located just outside Rugeley in Staffordshire. This Forestry Commission run visitor centre offers a shop and café, car parking, children’s play area, and walking trails as well as bike hire and cycle routes.
Cannock Chase is the smallest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on mainland Britain covering 25 square miles. The rolling hills of the Chase have a rich environmental and historical interest having once been a royal hunting preserve for the Bishops of Lichfield. Todays heathland area is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and requires careful and sympathetic management.
Cannock Chase was also the site of the first ever large scale military manoeuvres in 1872 and has long been associated with the armed forces. During the industrial revolution the whole area was mined extensively but today the main activities to be seen involve recreation and timber production..
For further information contact Georgina on 01889 586593 or by email at georgina.high@forestry,gsi.gov.uk