A NEW area of woodland - whose name conjures up fictional tales of Winnie the Pooh and his pals - has been created in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

The hundred acre wood, on the hillside between Cray and West Burton, is made up of 39,600 newly planted saplings.

And people are being invited to contribute to the project by dedicating a tree to someone they love or to celebrate an event.

The wood is a mixture of native trees including rowan, downy birch, hazel, hawthorn and blackthorn that have been planted in Bishopdale to create a vibrant habitat for a range of native wildlife species.

The woodland, known as Longridge Wood, is located on the hillside and forms part of the Dales Woodland Restoration Programme.

This is an initiative which aims to double the amount of native woodland cover across the Yorkshire Dales by 2020.

It is being delivered and funded by a partnership including local charity Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Forestry Commission.

The landowner Robert Brown said: “This was once a wooded dale, so I’m very pleased to be able to help to return some of the land to natural woodland cover through the Dales Woodland Restoration Programme.

"This is an exceptionally peaceful and quiet site, and a haven for a wide range of wildlife that can flourish here undisturbed.”

The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust would like to invite people to be part of Yorkshire’s very own hundred acre wood by dedicating a tree as a perfect way to celebrate a birthday, wedding, christening or other special occasion, or to remember the life of a loved one.

In return for the donation the charity will provide a certificate and commemorative presentation pack as a lasting reminder of the dedication and generosity.

Chris Lodge, YDMT’s woodland officer, added: “You could also dedicate a tree here for Father’s Day coming up on June 21. It might be a few years since your Dad last climbed a tree, or read about the adventures of Winnie the Pooh, but if he loves the great outdoors, then this could be the perfect Father’s Day gift for him.

"Each dedication will help to support our ongoing efforts to restore woodland cover across the region whilst reducing soil erosion, helping to absorb greenhouse gases and creating vibrant habitats for native wildlife species.”

To dedicate a tree for Father’s Day please call YDMT on 015242 51002 no later than 12 noon on June 18, or visit www.ydmt.org/dedicate_a_tree .