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Helping Forestry England grow nature tourism across its forests
2nd November 2026
Forestry England asked Acorn to explore whether its forests could offer visitors high-quality wildlife and nature experiences that could support their conservation work, and if so, how. Our primary and secondary research covered the wildlife, facilities and access at Forestry England sites, comparable experiences in the UK and internationally, and what consumers want from a nature experience and would be willing to pay. It also included detailed financial modelling to test whether each type of experience could pay its way.
The outcome was four experience models. They range from accessible guided wildlife experiences to more immersive offers in Forestry England’s wild areas and around flagship species. Each model comes with a shortlist of the priority sites, the business case and a phased plan for rollout, starting with pilots at selected forests. Forestry England now has a clear evidence base for developing nature tourism that generates income, connects more people with nature and protects the wildlife it depends on.
You can find more about the project on our project sheet.
