Thetford Forest is the largest lowland pine forest in Britain and is located in a region straddling the north of Suffolk and the south of Norfolk in England. It covers over 47,000 acres. It is an entirely new forest, commissioned and grown by the UK government.

The Forestry Commission was established in 1919 to expand Britain's forests and woodland, which had been severely depleted during the First World War. The Commission bought large amounts of land on behalf of the state, eventually becoming the largest manager of land in Britain

Deforestation was the main reason for the creation of the Forestry Commission in 1919. Britain had only 5% of its original forest cover left and the government at that time wanted to create a strategic resource of timber.

The Countryside Act 1968 required public bodies, including the Forestry Commission, to "have regard to the desirability of conserving the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside." The conservation effort was partly driven by Peter Garthwaite and Sylvia Crowe.

The Forestry Commission provides the government’s forestry expertise and is responsible for protecting, improving and expanding England’s woodlands, connecting more people with forests, woods and trees and promoting their full value.