Our aim is to involve all young people in our community of Andover and Hampshire. As 10-year-old Emily said when we first began in 2011: “Happy trees, happy planet, happy people!”
We are a volunteer-led group and registered charity collaborating with schools, local authorities, businesses, specialist environmental organisations, artists and other creative practitioners to promote conservation and educate people about responsible access to wild spaces.
In celebration of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and born out of grassroots community action, Harmony Woods was created to provide every young person in Andover with the opportunity to learn, voice, engage, encounter, care and protect the natural world on their doorstep. A growing, rewilding project, Harmony Woods now acts as a focal point for further community engagement championing responsible connections to nature.
Rewildling Andover
Harmony Woods is the result of a 10-year planting project 2012-2022, which gave all the children and young people in our community the chance to turn 12 acres of land into a natural urban woodland, increasing biodiversity and providing a wealth of opportunities for learning in and about the environment. Set within a total of 44 acres, there are ongoing opportunities for the whole community to be involved in the care of the wood and its development.
It is our long-term aim to offer a space that teaches the importance of and inspires a love of the natural world, whilst encouraging community cohesion through action. Find out more below and see how our charity has grown over the last 15 years.
Project aims:
offering a space that inspires love and respect for the natural world
education through conservation and creative activities
developing youth voice and continuing engagement into adulthood
promoting understanding of the climate crisis and need for environmental stewardship
encouraging community cohesion through real action
being open to all, irrespective of age, ability, aptitude or ethnicity.
The Cabin
We have been building an off-grid, sustainable, woodland classroom and volunteer base, one that is sensitive to its surroundings and sits at home in the landscape. Read More →
How to get involved:
volunteer on conservation Mondays & Community Saturdays
tend to the woodland, caring for the trees at the allotment
sowing, growing and planting wildflowers at Harmony Woods
help to setup and pack away at special events, make us a cup of tea
share our newsletters and social media posts to spread the word
attend fundraising events, make a donation or help with leaflet distribution.
Nature in Harmony
Wildlife surveys and citizen science, where YOU help us discover what’s living in Harmony Woods.
Read More →