England Moves a Forest

Before construction started on widening a highway from two to four lanes, the UK Highways Agency embarked on a complex pilot project that may be a benchmark for future road building policy. The Agency is attempting to move an ancient forest that stands in the way of road construction.

In concert with local environmental specialists, 10,000 tons of soil and a grove of 100 hazel trees were moved to a nearby forest. A giant tree spade was used to move the entire grove intact. They also planted 60,000 young trees. The goal of the project is recolonize the forest in its new location.