Ambitious plans to create a swathe of forest in the north
of England branched out today (30 November 2018) with
Forestry Minister planting the first
government funded tree of the Northern Forest.
Minister Rutley joined the Woodland Trust,
Community Forest Trust, government Tree Champion Sir
William Worsley and students from St Andrew’s CE
Primary School in Radcliffe, where they began the planting
of 200 saplings as part of the government’s £5.7 million
investment.
Over the next 25 years the Woodland Trust and Community
Forest Trust are aiming to plant more than 50 million
trees from Liverpool to Hull, connecting the five
community forests of the north. Government backing for the
project was announced by the Prime Minister in January
during the launch of the Government’s flagship 25 Year
Environment Plan.
Spanning more than 120 miles, the Northern Forest will help
boost habitats for woodland birds and bats and protect
iconic species such as the red squirrel – alongside
providing a tranquil space to be enjoyed by millions of
people living in the area.
Forestry Minister said:
It is a privilege to be here to see the Northern Forest
take root, and to plant the first of many government
funded trees which will contribute to what will one day
be a great forest.
This new forest will benefit communities across the north
of England and deliver on our pledge to leave the
environment in a better state for future generations.
This investment takes forward a commitment made in
the 25 Year Environment
Plan, and will contribute to the government’s pledge to
plant 11 million trees, and one million urban trees.
With the Government backing growth, investment and jobs
across the Northern Powerhouse as part of efforts to create
an economy that works for everyone. The Woodland Trust
and Community Forest
Trust estimate this new forest will generate more
than £2 billion for the country’s economy.
Simon Mageean Northern Forest Programme Director, Woodland
Trust said:
A new Northern Forest will strengthen and accelerate the
benefits of community forestry, support landscape scale
working for nature, deliver a wide range of benefits,
including helping to reduce flood risk, and adapt some of
the UK’s major towns and cities to projected climate
change.
The North of England is perfectly suited to reap the
benefits of a project on this scale. But this must be a
joined up approach, we’ll need to work with Government,
and other organisations to find innovative funding
mechanisms to ensure we can make a difference long term.
Iain Taylor, Community Forest Trust said:
Community Forests have been planting trees and woodlands
in a range of communities across England for 25 years.
The Northern Forest programme and this new funding allows
the five community forest initiatives in the Northern
Forest area to work together with the Woodland Trust and
Defra to accelerate the delivery of local forest plans
and make a real differences in communities.
The Northern Forest will connect the five Community Forests
in the north of England – the Mersey Forest, Manchester
City of Trees, South Yorkshire Community Forest, the Leeds
White Rose Forest and the HEYwoods Project – with green
infrastructure and woodland created in and around major
urban centres such as Chester, Liverpool, Leeds, and
Manchester.
