Shropshire Council has been nurturing the Forest School initiative in the county since 2002. This is when a steering group formed, comprised of representatives from the former Shropshire County Council's Early Years and Childcare team, local woodland owners and environmental educators. Since then, this group has become registered as a Forest Education Initiative Cluster Group, and this organisation has been instrumental in developing a Forest School network across England.
The Shropshire Early Years Development Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) provided funding for a two year pilot project. This involved establishing an exemplar Shropshire County Council Forest School site, to the south of Shrewsbury, and delivering Forest School sessions to local schools and settings. A Forest School Co-ordinator was employed with two Forest School leaders to deliver sessions at the exemplar site.
Due to the success of this pilot project, Shropshire Council has now employed a permanent Forest School Development Officer who works with a team of Forest School Leaders delivering Forest School sessions at exemplar sites in Shropshire.
Shropshire Council delivers OCN Forest School Training.