The arboretum was established in memory of Nigel Moores, who was killed in a car accident in France in 1977.
He was the nephew of Sir John Moores, the founder of Littlewoods, the football pools company. Nigel’s parents, who set up the arboretum in his memory, lived in the Island at the time.
The forest was opened on Saturday by the Lieutenant-Governor, General Sir John McColl, who cut a line of ivy with shears, before he was taken with his wife, Lady McColl, on a walk with arboricultural officer Conrad Evans.
This was followed by children’s activities with Michel Morel and further walks by Tina Hull and Mike Felton.
