LONDON — Summer is something very precious in England, usually lasting only a few weeks at its peak, and many do whatever they can to enjoy it.
For some, this means exiting the sweat, the noise, the cars and congestion of the city and finding a refuge of peace and relaxation. Their destination? Six very unique rural locations where one can commune with unspoiled nature, but with a difference. That difference: A combination incorporating specially protected forest sites where one can not only enjoy the best nature can provide, but also a place to hear amazing artists performing in intimate gigs.
It’s called “Forest Live,” a major live music series spread over a just few weeks featuring the likes of Sting, Nile Rogers, Bryan Adams, Gregory Porter and Van Morrison.
Their performance venues are an off grid juxtaposition of incredible technical aspects featuring premium sound and lights set against a pristine natural backdrop.
Rhodri Jones from the parent organization Forestry England, is in charge of organizing the shows.
“It feels like you’re on another planet,” he told ABC News. “You feel so immersed in nature.”
You can forget about some of the technological trappings of modern life while you’re on location too, he says.
‘WiFi and phone signal is not a strong point at many of these sites,” according to Jones. “It’s absolutely somewhere you can come and get off the road and park your car and then suddenly you are absolutely immersed in the smell, sights and sounds of nature.”
Forestry England works throughout the year on conservation efforts, planting some 7 million trees across the country annually and, as Jones puts it, “we are the custodians of 1,500 protected forests in the U.K.”
With sustainability being at the core, part of their mission is to encourage these forests to be enjoyed by the public in ways that are sensitive to the locations.
As to the specifically identified music locations, Jones says “it’s a year-round effort for us to refine and of looking at the best way to be doing things. For example, we are currently on generators, but we make sure we have to most sustainable fuel types to reduce that impact.”
They’ve been staging the concerts for over 20 years now, so they’ve gotten pretty good at their job and part of that requires a widespread group effort.
“The efforts of many,” Jones says, “is greater than the sum of its parts.”
As Forestry England Volunteer Coordinator, Vicki Tofte, puts it, the vibe is absolutely wonderful.
“So, we have this huge stage magically appears, that gets built in the forest. And although our volunteers don’t get involved in that bit, they definitely help with the site, making it tidy, making sure that people know what’s going on,” Tofte told ABC News. “Our visitors, obviously very curious, so right from start, they’re involved.”
As to the performers, Rhodri Jones says the music industry is dialed in.
“The feedback, he says they get from artists is very much like, the reason they took on this show is because they align so well with our values,” he said. “I think, it was Sting you know, when he first started talking about the Amazon Rain Forest, it wasn’t something that they were collectively alive to. It’s definitely an industry where people are more attuned to what needs to be done.”
It’s matter of preserving the integrity of the locations during the concerts and then, returning them to their “factory settings” post-concert, Jones adds.
“It’s a great exercise in making sure that we’re really specific about areas that are ‘no go’ areas in terms of whether it’s a protective species of wildlife, a protected ancient woodland, whatever it is,” said Jones. “It’s really making sure there’s no room for error and making sure that when the circus comes to town and then leaves, it leaves no trace.”
Proceeds from the “Forest Live” concerts are subsequently poured back into the year-round Forestry England preservation efforts.
The goal according to Jones, “to preserve and enjoy these living sites for generations to come,” and protect the forests he calls “the lungs of the country.”
