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£4 million funding boost for woodland creation across Merseyside and Cheshire
Tree coverage across Merseyside and Cheshire is set to increase, thanks to new funding for the area's local Community Forest.
The Mersey Forest has been awarded over £4 million in funding by the Department for Environment, food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to plant trees and create new woodlands, under plans to increase access to nature for communities across England.
By working closely with private landowners, local authorities, partners and community groups to identify land and design planting schemes to enhance the local area, The Mersey Forest team is creating woodlands that will benefit communities and the local environment for years to come.
The funding will help to provide grants that cover up to 100% of the costs for tree planting and 15 years of maintenance payments, to ensure that any planting continues to deliver long term value for the landowner.
The Mersey Forest team can support landowners with the funding application and provide free, no obligation advice to people or organisations considering tree planting, whether you have a small pocket of unused land on your property or are a farmer with several hectares of land looking to diversify income streams.
Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, said: "This latest round of funding will allow us to establish even more woodlands for our local communities to benefit from.
"As expert advisors, delivery partners and funder in one, local organisation, our team are here to support our partners and local landowners to realise the full potential that trees can bring to their land and support them through the tree planting process."
The Mersey Forest aims to plant around 250 hectares (ha) of trees – or around 352 football pitches – in 2022/23, using funding through the Trees for Climate programme and Northern Forest, which are both part of the Government's £750 million Nature for Climate Fund.
This will contribute to around 2,300 hectares of trees being planted collectively across England as part of this year's total funding allocation from the Nature for Climate Fund of £44.2 million. The funding will benefit 13 Community Forests, as well as the National Forest, Northern Forest, Northumberland Forest, the Forest for Cornwall and Woodlands for Water. These projects will expand woodlands near our cities, towns, villages and rivers - giving more people greater access to nature and improving health and wellbeing as well as playing an important role in Government ambitions to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament and reach net zero.
Large, small, well-designed and diverse woodlands created thanks to this funding will be more resilient to climate change, as well as natural hazards such as wildfire and storms – playing an important role in helping us adapt to a warmer world. They will help to reduce flood risk in vulnerable areas, provide sustainable UK grown timber and provide more places for nature and biodiversity to thrive.
Lord Zac Goldsmith, Forestry Minister, said:
"Our economies, livelihoods and well-being all rely on nature.
"As well as tackling the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, this significant funding will create diverse treescapes across the country and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities by giving them more opportunities to enjoy nature on their doorstep."
The announcement comes following a successful planting season in 2021/22, which saw The Mersey Forest plant 100 hectares of new woodland.
All trees planted in Cheshire and Merseyside are helping to grow The Mersey Forest and the larger Northern Forest, which stretches from Liverpool to the Yorkshire coast.
Any landowners, farmers or organisations with land suitable for tree planting and interested in getting involved in the next phase of planting, which is due to start in the autumn, can contact The Mersey Forest team by calling: 01925 816217 or emailing: mail@merseyforest.org.uk .
The Mersey Forest has been awarded over £4 million in funding by the Department for Environment, food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to plant trees and create new woodlands, under plans to increase access to nature for communities across England.
By working closely with private landowners, local authorities, partners and community groups to identify land and design planting schemes to enhance the local area, The Mersey Forest team is creating woodlands that will benefit communities and the local environment for years to come.
The funding will help to provide grants that cover up to 100% of the costs for tree planting and 15 years of maintenance payments, to ensure that any planting continues to deliver long term value for the landowner.
The Mersey Forest team can support landowners with the funding application and provide free, no obligation advice to people or organisations considering tree planting, whether you have a small pocket of unused land on your property or are a farmer with several hectares of land looking to diversify income streams.
Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, said: "This latest round of funding will allow us to establish even more woodlands for our local communities to benefit from.
"As expert advisors, delivery partners and funder in one, local organisation, our team are here to support our partners and local landowners to realise the full potential that trees can bring to their land and support them through the tree planting process."
The Mersey Forest aims to plant around 250 hectares (ha) of trees – or around 352 football pitches – in 2022/23, using funding through the Trees for Climate programme and Northern Forest, which are both part of the Government's £750 million Nature for Climate Fund.
This will contribute to around 2,300 hectares of trees being planted collectively across England as part of this year's total funding allocation from the Nature for Climate Fund of £44.2 million. The funding will benefit 13 Community Forests, as well as the National Forest, Northern Forest, Northumberland Forest, the Forest for Cornwall and Woodlands for Water. These projects will expand woodlands near our cities, towns, villages and rivers - giving more people greater access to nature and improving health and wellbeing as well as playing an important role in Government ambitions to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament and reach net zero.
Large, small, well-designed and diverse woodlands created thanks to this funding will be more resilient to climate change, as well as natural hazards such as wildfire and storms – playing an important role in helping us adapt to a warmer world. They will help to reduce flood risk in vulnerable areas, provide sustainable UK grown timber and provide more places for nature and biodiversity to thrive.
Lord Zac Goldsmith, Forestry Minister, said:
"Our economies, livelihoods and well-being all rely on nature.
"As well as tackling the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss, this significant funding will create diverse treescapes across the country and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities by giving them more opportunities to enjoy nature on their doorstep."
The announcement comes following a successful planting season in 2021/22, which saw The Mersey Forest plant 100 hectares of new woodland.
All trees planted in Cheshire and Merseyside are helping to grow The Mersey Forest and the larger Northern Forest, which stretches from Liverpool to the Yorkshire coast.
Any landowners, farmers or organisations with land suitable for tree planting and interested in getting involved in the next phase of planting, which is due to start in the autumn, can contact The Mersey Forest team by calling: 01925 816217 or emailing: mail@merseyforest.org.uk .
