The National Heritage Memorial Fund has announced £6m worth of funding to support 12 projects to plant trees, create forestry jobs and improve access to nature across the country.
From large-scale woodland creation and engaging communities with green spaces, to training the next generation of forestry leaders, the projects will benefit people and places across England.
Photo: National Forest Company
The Severn Treescapes project, awarded £498,903, will create a 60-mile stretch of woodland connecting the Wyre Valley, Forest of Dean and Wyre Forest. The project aims to increase local tree coverage from 18% to 30% by 2050. Protecting the ancient woodlands will also help to increase the number of pine marten recently introduced in the area.
Two projects, led by the Institute of Chartered Foresters, will train the next generation of forestry leaders. This will ensure the industry has the capacity, skills and knowledge to manage the trees and woodlands of the future.
The NHS Forest project, awarded £488,394, will support 270 healthcare sites across England to plant 21,000 trees, transforming their green spaces. This will improve the health and wellbeing of patients, staff and the community, as well as boost the local biodiversity.
The grants, ranging from £250,000 to £500,000, have been awarded as part of the Trees Call to Action Fund. Explore the full list of successful grantees.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at the Heritage Fund, said: “These projects are taking steps to mitigate the effects of climate change and we are delighted to help make that happen. By building strong partnerships and making sure that people are trained in vital skills, we will be better placed to meet future tree planting targets.
“We can also enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits and the thriving nature that a natural landscape with more trees will bring.”
Sir William Worsley, Forestry Commission Chair, said: “Addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss will require a national drive to grow and manage more trees and woodlands closer to where people live, and create more green jobs in the forestry and allied sectors.
“This fund will play a hugely important role in helping us realise these ambitions, as set out in the England Trees Action Plan. Congratulations to all the projects which will now receive funding – together we will grow trees, woods and forests to make our nation more resilient for future generations.”
