COUNTRYSIDE lovers have a chance on Saturday to discover Heartwood, the 858-acre wood taking shape on the outskirts of St Albans, and meet the local woman in charge of the ambitious project.

Louise Neicho of Hatfield is working for the owners of the Woodland Trust to help develop the site on the edge of Sandridge and oversee planting of 600,000 trees.

Local people will have the chance to meet Louise with the rest of the Heartwood management team at an open day on site on Saturday, starting at 10.30am at the Scout hut on Sandridgebury Lane, including guided walks and an opportunity for people to propose a name for a planned community orchard.

Louise's role will include helping community groups, schools and businesses to plant native deciduous trees among pockets of existing ancient woodland, as well as delivering an access network for cyclists, walkers and horse riders.

Louise, who was brought up in London but fell in love with the local countryside when a student at the University of Hertfordshire, said: “Until then I had few experiences of woods but I spent much of my spare time exploring the local area and quickly discovered my passion for trees and woods.

“Nomansland Common and its surrounding countryside was always one of my favourite places to explore but I found it frustrating when I came up against fences and barbed wire.”

“So, when I heard about the Woodland Trust buying the land to create England’s largest new native woodland, I knew that I had to get involved one way or another.”

“I’m particularly excited about this project not only because it is on my doorstep or because it will be England’s largest new continuous forest, but because I can help to safeguard some of our precious green spaces and build a woodland that will be appreciated for generations to come.”

Louise will also take responsibility for the 166-acre Merryhill Wood, near Bushey, which she says shows how quickly a native forest can develop in only ten years.

She previously ran a community conservation project for the St Albans environmental charity Earthworks, and has also worked for the London Wildlife Trust.