Issued by: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

20 million trees are to be planted across Bristol, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset by 2050.

A new national forest stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips is set to be created, the government has announced today (Friday 21 March).

The Western Forest will see 20 million trees set to be planted across the West of England in the coming decades, creating at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland.

The government manifesto committed to three new national forests and today’s announcement is a significant first step. The forest will serve over 2.5 million residents, bringing trees and woodlands closer to where people live, including in urban centres such as Bristol, Gloucester and Swindon.

The Western Forest will be spearheaded by the Forest of Avon, one of England’s Community Forests supported by up to £7.5 million of government funding over five years alongside accelerating tree-planting in local areas. The project will work to revitalise existing woodlands and other important habitats to create a forest network for people and wildlife at a truly landscape scale.

The new national forest will help the drive to net zero while promoting economic growth and creating jobs in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and across the West of England, as part of the Government’s Plan for Change. It will also help us meet our nature and legal environment targets including halting the decline of species and protecting 30% of land for nature by 2030.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

“The Government was elected on a mandate to plant three new national forests this parliament, as part of our commitment to reach net zero and drive sustainable growth under the Government’s Plan for Change.

“We will plant 20 million trees in the Western Forest to bring nature closer to people, prevent flooding and support wildlife.”

Alex Stone, Chief Executive of Forest of Avon, England’s Community Forests, said:

”The Forest of Avon is thrilled to have led a wonderfully diverse and engaged partnership to bring the Western Forest to life. This is about resource, funding and expertise coming directly to landowners, partners and communities, planting millions of trees in the right places. Together, we will enhance landscapes for all to enjoy, improving the lives of our 2.5 million residents and visitors to the region.

“Encompassing two of England’s Community Forests and working alongside the National Forest Company and Defra, the Western Forest will enhance, connect and improve our urban and rural landscapes, support investment into the region, create jobs and skills opportunities and bring the endless benefits we get back from planting and caring for our trees. It is a very exciting time for this region, and we look forward to helping shape what the Western Forest will become.”

The National Forest Company, who manage the National Forest, will provide expertise and mentorship to the Western Forest project team.

National Forest Chief Executive John Everitt OBE said:

“The National Forest Company is delighted to see the announcement of the Western Forest as the first of the government’s new national forest commitments.

“This initiative builds on the success of the National Forest in the Midlands, where planting more than 9.8 million trees has transformed the landscape, benefitting wildlife, communities and the economy.

“The Western Forest was selected because of its ability to demonstrate a similar scale of ambition, with trees and woods supporting growth and farming while enhancing nature’s recovery and access to green space.”

Our countryside and woodlands are a source of great national pride, and today’s announcement is a further example of this government delivering for nature, following historic announcements on the wild release and management of beavers in England (https://shorturl.at/9Trsi), a new approach to neonicotinoid pesticides on crops grown in England (https://shorturl.at/CjfEJ) and new measures to strengthen our protected areas and meet 30x30 (https://shorturl.at/7y718).

Additional Information:

• The Western Forest is a partnership led by the Forest of Avon, a charitable trust.

• Defra’s Intent to Award will see a grant delivered to the lead organisation developing the new partnership for the Western Forest.

• By 2030, the Western Forest (WF) aims to create at least 2500 hectares of woodland and other tree habitats across five strategic priority areas, contributing to the delivery of the Government’s statutory tree & woodland cover target to increase tree & woodland cover to 16.5% of England by 2050.

• The Forestry Commission was on the judging panel for competition entries and is fully supportive of the Western Forest, who it will work closely with in the coming years.

• The Western Forest will be supported by the National Forest Company, a recognised national expert on embedding new woodland creation within and alongside residential and commercial development. It transformed a Midlands industrial landscape to a thriving 200-square mile treescape, and is set to build on the achievement with the aim of transforming more local communities and landscapes.

• The National Forest Company has a proven track record of 30 years of successful woodland creation, transforming a post-industrial landscape into a thriving network of towns and villages with tree and woodland cover having increased from 6% to more than 25% set within the National Forest.

• The Western Forest will shape a greener, more connected landscape with trees and woodlands at its heart with the vision to deliver a resilient future that will benefit the economy, nature and both rural and urban communities.

• The Western Forest will include cutting-edge communications, new collaborations between stakeholders and landowners, and transformational pilot programmes around volunteering, health, education and access.

• With over 73% of the new national forest’s land use being agricultural, the Western Forest creates a huge opportunity to support farmers across the region to integrate trees into the farmed landscape through agroforestry and farm woodlands. These tree habitats can regenerate the soil and improve resilience to flooding and drought delivering multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits, without compromising food production, supporting the Government’s Land Use Framework.

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