A NEW coastal community forest covering around 100 football pitches' worth of land will be created in Cumbria.
Up to 150 hectares of trees, woodlands and forests will be planted, with the equivalent of one tree for every resident in Copeland, Barrow and Allerdale over the next five years.
Announced to mark the beginning of National Tree Week today, the project will be carried out by Defra, England’s Community Forest and Cumbria County Council.
READ MORE: Harry Potter, Wonder Woman, and Gladiator: Bourne Wood given special filming status
Ultimately, the aim is to create a minimum of 5,000 hectares of new woodland along a 56-mile stretch of the western coast of Cumbria over the next 25 years – that’s the size of almost 3,500 football pitches.
The project has received a £220,000 boost from Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund to kickstart planting in the next year.
Lord Goldsmith, Forestry Minister, said: “This announcement further expands and strengthens England’s network of Community Forests. All across the country, we are growing more trees and woodland than ever before, including in and around some of England’s most deprived communities.
“Forests are vital for the future of our planet and this exciting new project will contribute towards our commitment to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament.”
The proposed area of Cumbria where the forest will be planted has high levels of economic and social deprivation and only 9.9 per cent woodland cover – 3 per cent below the national average.
Sir William Worsley, Forestry Commission chair, said: “The incredible value of trees has never been clearer, and it is my personal passion to make sure as many people as possible get to experience their benefits.
"This initiative will offer local opportunities for people to enjoy nature from their doorstep, providing people of all ages and abilities with fresh air and spaces to breathe."
The new community forest will cover the districts of Barrow, Allerdale, Copeland and South Lakeland, and will be delivered by Cumbria County Council, in partnership with organisations including the Forestry Commission, Cumbria Woodlands and the National Trust.
Paul Nolan, chair of England’s Community Forests, said: “I’m extremely pleased today to welcome Cumbria Coastal Community Forest into our thriving network of Community Forests, which reach right across the country and collectively form the largest environmental regeneration initiative in England.
READ MORE: Forest Research's Timber Price Indices: Softwood sawlog leads the way
“Cumbria Coastal Community Forest will create corridors of connected, wildlife-rich woodland, and will ensure coastal communities from Barrow to Carlisle have better access to nature, allowing them to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of being out in nature.
"The work of this new Community Forest will also play a crucial role in tackling the local impacts of climate change, and will support the Community Forests’ collective mission to increase tree planting across the country in the next five years, as a key part of the government’s journey towards net-zero."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here