Dalby Forest is managed by the Forestry Commission and is the largest forest in Yorkshire. It receives around 300,000 visits per year making it a key visitor attraction in Ryedale and the North York Moors National Park.

The facilities for visitors at Dalby have developed organically over the last 40 years; initially, in the 1960s, a ‘forest drive’ was opened to create a through route for visitors on their way to the east coast, subsequently a ‘museum’ was opened at Dalby village, followed by the creation of a new lake, waymarked trails, WCs and picnic areas. This has been in addition to the main economic use of the forest as a timber resource.

In the last few years the emphasis has changed; visitor revenues now exceed those from timber and the forest is pivotal to local tourism. The new visitor centre replaces facilities – community room, shop, restaurant and exhibition areas – formerly housed in buildings which have now been redeveloped to provide a cycle centre; the centre also aims to improve and develop the forest as a regional centre of excellence for sustainable economic activity.