Woodlands do so much for wildlife, climate and our wellbeing. 

Take a walk through a woodland at any time of year and your wellbeing will be boosted. Maybe this winter is your time to perfect the art of Forest Bathing? Put simply, this means slowing down and taking in the forest atmosphere. Walking slowly, breathing deeply and using all of your senses to connect with the woodland surrounding you. Notice the earthy smell. The light reflecting off the leaves, the sound of the birds or the wind whispering through the treetops.

Want to get away from it all? No matter the season, woodlands offer a unique opportunity to unplug from the modern world. But where are Staffordshire's best woodland walks? There are plenty, from the National Forest in the east to the wilds of the north and everything in between. There are also lots of urban pocket parks with mini forests just waiting to be explored. We implore you to take in a woodland this winter. 

Here's three of our best winter woodland walks to inspire you. 

Visit Hem Heath Woods, near Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, and enjoy 2,500m of surfaced pathways following colour-coded waymarkers. Over the past year we've improved accessibility for visitors, as well as making it better for nature. There are plenty of benches, so you can take a rest while absorbing the peaceful melody of birdsong. Our latest bird survey at the end of summer clocked 18 species here! During autumn/winter you can expect to hear the jarring squark of a jay, the delicate chattering of various tits and the occasional nuthatch.

Off the beaten track, this woodland is half a mile from the nearest parking but if you want peace and quiet, it's well worth the trek.  

Hidden in the heart of the Churnet Valley, Cotton Dell is a magical mix of ancient woodland, tumbling streams and peaceful waterside paths. Follow the Cotton Brook beneath towering trees and leave the noise of the modern world behind. 

Wildlife thrives here, from dippers bobbing along the stream to hunt for insects, to fish beneath the water and a colourful autumn show of golds and yellows from the beech and oak trees. Over the years we've created woodland glades along the stream - allowing daylight in to attract woodland species such as pied flycatcher, wood warbler, grey wagtail.

Take an adventure to this less-visited northern end of The Roaches and discover Back Forest. The steep and rocky woodland here has seen many travelers over the years, with footpaths weaving through the area. The woodland here is much more exposed and is bordered by moorland so offers a different experience.  

This area is a good place to spot birds of prey such as buzzards and sparrowhawks, as well as other woodland birds such as goldcrest and tree creepers.  

A few winters ago the larch here picked up a disease and had to be felled but we are seeing a good amount of natural broadleaf regeneration. Rowan, birch and oak saplings are growing well. In the future we may add to the mix depending on the rate of growth and mixture of species we see naturally regenerate.

We carefully plan when and where to plant trees on our nature reserves. Right tree, right place is our ethos. And diversity is critical to creating healthy and resilient woodlands. 

We've been managing woodlands for as long as we’ve existed. Not only do we create and expand woodland through our careful planting schemes, we also carefully manage many woodlands to create the ideal conditions for natural regeneration. We clear glades to open up the canopy and allow sunlight to reach the forest floor. This encourages new saplings to germinate and grow and adds layers of trees and shrubs of different ages. This diversity provides homes for different creatures. It means sunlight loving woodland flowers can bloom too; think bluebells, wood anemones and wood sorrel.  

In the past year we've planted 7,500 trees across our reserves. It's a careful balance. Woodlands are a community. You need veterans who have seen it all, wise elders to stand strong and shelter youngsters as they put all their energy into growth.  

Some of our reserves feature woodlands which started their life as plantations, resulting in a monoculture of similar aged trees. For example, most of Hem Heath Woods were like this. Sadly, we do have to fell diseased and dangerous trees (due to ash die back). Where needed, we bolster natural regeneration by planting saplings, staggering them strategically to make sure we have a woodland where the trees vary in age. It also allows us to add diversity by planting any missing species appropriate for that particular area.