Celebrate 25 years of the Millennium Country Park & Forest Centre with us

A lot can happen in 25 years - and for the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park, it certainly has! As we celebrate a quarter of a century since our doors first opened, we’re taking a look back at 25 milestones, memories and moments that tell the story of how far we’ve come...

1. The Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park were opened to the public in 2000 by journalist and TV presenter John Craven, of Newsround and Countryfile fame

2. The Forest Centre building was funded using grants from the Millennium Commission and landfill tax, and originally included an interactive exhibition, learning centre, library and art gallery, as well as the café, shop and conference facilities that we have today. There used to be a Nissan Micra hanging from the ceiling in the café! 

3. Around 2 million people have visited the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park since it opened!

4. The wind turbine went up in 2014 and is over 120m tall. The Forest Centre also has solar panels on its roof to produce green electricity – both helping us to be more sustainable.

5. Since opening, the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park have been awarded 19 consecutive Green Flag Awards, recognising it as consistently being one of the best greenspaces in the country.  

6. In 2019 HRH The Princess Royal visited the Forest Centre to mark the Forest of Marston Vale being accredited as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy – one of only 4 UK forests to receive such recognition!

7. Last year the Sensory Wildlife Garden was designed to be a mini version of the wider Park, ideal for those who might find the larger Park inaccessible or overwhelming. 

8. In 2022 the Park had the first recorded breeding pair of Bittern in Bedfordshire. We still love hearing males booming to attract mates in spring.

9. Woodworks Festival ran from 2004 to 2013 and was a 2 day festival featuring folk bands, wood carving demonstrations, Viking re-enactments, coracle making, willow weaving, ferret racing, Lumberjack racing demos, chainsaw carving, horse logging demos, falconry, charcoal burning, archery, and more!

10. The Tower Hide and woodland walkway was opened in 2015, giving a fully accessible, panoramic view of the Wetlands Nature Reserve. 

11. We have 2 members of staff still working at the Charity today who were part of the original team present when the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park were opened – Simon Fisher and James Russell. 

12. In addition to royal visits, the Park has had countless other famous visitors over the years, including Peppa Pig, Bluey and Bingo, Scooby Doo, Paw Patrol, Greg Rutherford, and most recently Kate Humble!

13. The Wetlands Nature Reserve has a sand martin wall. Built in 2013, the wall replicates a cliff-face, which sand martins burrow into to lay their eggs in spring. There are 88 man-made holes in the wall which we fill with a special sand mix before the birds arrive.  

14. The Park has been a true success for wildlife, drawing key species back to the area and boosting nature recovery. Alongside the bittern we mentioned earlier, marsh harriers and turtle doves now breed here every year, a wonderful sign of nature thriving. 

15. Over 39870 trees and shrubs have been planted in the Park since it opened.

16. In 2015, our incredible volunteers were honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service - the highest award given to volunteer groups in the UK - recognising their outstanding contribution to the community and lasting impact on the Forest.

17. The Park has a healthy resident population of Great Crested Newts – a European protected species.

18. In 2019, the first Parkrun took place in the Millennium Country Park. Since it began, over 11,000 runners of all ages and abilities have taken part -  whatever the weather!

19. The reedbed within the Wetlands Nature Reserve is the largest reedbed habitat in Bedfordshire – this is essential habitat for a wide range of birds, invertebrates and mammals and without our reedbeds we wouldn’t have attracted the bittern to the Park. 

20. Stewartby Lake and The Pillinge are man-made lakes – former clay pits dug to provide materials for local brickmaking.

21. The Millennium Country Park was once more like Jurassic Park! The Oxford Clay soil was formed by particles raining down on to the seafloor of a warm shallow sea about 160 million years ago.

22. When the Wetlands Nature Reserve was first being planted with reeds, the Forest team had to try and keep geese and swans out of the area, so they didn’t devour the young plants – wading in and corralling these birds became a regular task!

23. If you run around the Millennium Country Park from sunrise to sunset in August you’ll run around 100km – we know this because Andrew Linduschka did it in 2024!

24. You can walk the Timberland Trail starting at the Forest Centre - it’s a 13 mile circular walk which was featured in The Times Top 20 British Walks. 

25. The Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park has hosted exhibitions, conferences, weddings (and celebrations of every type), forest schools, training events and workshops, school visits, fashion shows ...it’s the perfect venue for every occasion and event! 

We’ve packed a lot into the last 25 years - from planting trees and welcoming volunteers, to hosting thousands of visitors and events here at the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park. Help us keep growing for the next 25 years and beyond - whether you visit, volunteer, donate or attend one of our events, every action helps us make life better for people, for nature and for the planet.

Get involved

A lot can happen in 25 years - and for the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park, it certainly has! As we celebrate a quarter of a century since our doors first opened, we’re taking a look back at 25 milestones, memories and moments that tell the story of how far we’ve come...

1. The Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park were opened to the public in 2000 by journalist and TV presenter John Craven, of Newsround and Countryfile fame

3. Around 2 million people have visited the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park since it opened!

4. The wind turbine went up in 2014 and is over 120m tall. The Forest Centre also has solar panels on its roof to produce green electricity – both helping us to be more sustainable.

5. Since opening, the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park have been awarded 19 consecutive Green Flag Awards, recognising it as consistently being one of the best greenspaces in the country.

6. In 2019 HRH The Princess Royal visited the Forest Centre to mark the Forest of Marston Vale being accredited as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy – one of only 4 UK forests to receive such recognition!

7. Last year the Sensory Wildlife Garden was designed to be a mini version of the wider Park, ideal for those who might find the larger Park inaccessible or overwhelming.

8. In 2022 the Park had the first recorded breeding pair of Bittern in Bedfordshire. We still love hearing males booming to attract mates in spring.

9. Woodworks Festival ran from 2004 to 2013 and was a 2 day festival featuring folk bands, wood carving demonstrations, Viking re-enactments, coracle making, willow weaving, ferret racing, Lumberjack racing demos, chainsaw carving, horse logging demos, falconry, charcoal burning, archery, and more!

10. The Tower Hide and woodland walkway was opened in 2015, giving a fully accessible, panoramic view of the Wetlands Nature Reserve.

11. We have 2 members of staff still working at the Charity today who were part of the original team present when the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park were opened – Simon Fisher and James Russell.

12. In addition to royal visits, the Park has had countless other famous visitors over the years, including Peppa Pig, Bluey and Bingo, Scooby Doo, Paw Patrol, Greg Rutherford, and most recently Kate Humble!

13. The Wetlands Nature Reserve has a sand martin wall. Built in 2013, the wall replicates a cliff-face, which sand martins burrow into to lay their eggs in spring. There are 88 man-made holes in the wall which we fill with a special sand mix before the birds arrive.

14. The Park has been a true success for wildlife, drawing key species back to the area and boosting nature recovery. Alongside the bittern we mentioned earlier, marsh harriers and turtle doves now breed here every year, a wonderful sign of nature thriving.

15. Over 39870 trees and shrubs have been planted in the Park since it opened.

16. In 2015, our incredible volunteers were honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service - the highest award given to volunteer groups in the UK - recognising their outstanding contribution to the community and lasting impact on the Forest.

17. The Park has a healthy resident population of Great Crested Newts – a European protected species.

18. In 2019, the first Parkrun took place in the Millennium Country Park. Since it began, over 11,000 runners of all ages and abilities have taken part - whatever the weather!

19. The reedbed within the Wetlands Nature Reserve is the largest reedbed habitat in Bedfordshire – this is essential habitat for a wide range of birds, invertebrates and mammals and without our reedbeds we wouldn’t have attracted the bittern to the Park.

20. Stewartby Lake and The Pillinge are man-made lakes – former clay pits dug to provide materials for local brickmaking.

21. The Millennium Country Park was once more like Jurassic Park! The Oxford Clay soil was formed by particles raining down on to the seafloor of a warm shallow sea about 160 million years ago.

22. When the Wetlands Nature Reserve was first being planted with reeds, the Forest team had to try and keep geese and swans out of the area, so they didn’t devour the young plants – wading in and corralling these birds became a regular task!

23. If you run around the Millennium Country Park from sunrise to sunset in August you’ll run around 100km – we know this because Andrew Linduschka did it in 2024!

24. You can walk the Timberland Trail starting at the Forest Centre - it’s a 13 mile circular walk which was featured in The Times Top 20 British Walks.

25. The Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park has hosted exhibitions, conferences, weddings (and celebrations of every type), forest schools, training events and workshops, school visits, fashion shows ...it’s the perfect venue for every occasion and event!

1. The Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park were opened to the public in 2000 by journalist and TV presenter John Craven, of Newsround and Countryfile fame

5. Since opening, the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park have been awarded 19 consecutive Green Flag Awards, recognising it as consistently being one of the best greenspaces in the country.  

6. In 2019 HRH The Princess Royal visited the Forest Centre to mark the Forest of Marston Vale being accredited as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy – one of only 4 UK forests to receive such recognition!

7. Last year the Sensory Wildlife Garden was designed to be a mini version of the wider Park, ideal for those who might find the larger Park inaccessible or overwhelming. 

10. The Tower Hide and woodland walkway was opened in 2015, giving a fully accessible, panoramic view of the Wetlands Nature Reserve. 

11. We have 2 members of staff still working at the Charity today who were part of the original team present when the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park were opened – Simon Fisher and James Russell. 

13. The Wetlands Nature Reserve has a sand martin wall. Built in 2013, the wall replicates a cliff-face, which sand martins burrow into to lay their eggs in spring. There are 88 man-made holes in the wall which we fill with a special sand mix before the birds arrive.  

14. The Park has been a true success for wildlife, drawing key species back to the area and boosting nature recovery. Alongside the bittern we mentioned earlier, marsh harriers and turtle doves now breed here every year, a wonderful sign of nature thriving. 

15. Over 39870 trees and shrubs have been planted in the Park since it opened.

18. In 2019, the first Parkrun took place in the Millennium Country Park. Since it began, over 11,000 runners of all ages and abilities have taken part -  whatever the weather!

19. The reedbed within the Wetlands Nature Reserve is the largest reedbed habitat in Bedfordshire – this is essential habitat for a wide range of birds, invertebrates and mammals and without our reedbeds we wouldn’t have attracted the bittern to the Park. 

24. You can walk the Timberland Trail starting at the Forest Centre - it’s a 13 mile circular walk which was featured in The Times Top 20 British Walks. 

25. The Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park has hosted exhibitions, conferences, weddings (and celebrations of every type), forest schools, training events and workshops, school visits, fashion shows ...it’s the perfect venue for every occasion and event! 