Extra funding to expand woodlands and protect trees

Efforts to plant trees, create more jobs and improve access to nature across the country is to take another step forward with a new £6 million ‘Trees Call to Action Fund’.

Grants of £250,000 to £500,000 will be awarded to projects across England, at least three of which will be for new regional partnerships set up to create woodlands at a large scale and improve people’s access to nature, following the Forest for Cornwall and Great Northumberland Forest partnerships.

The fund, targeted at regions, activities and costs which are not supported by other government funding for trees, will competitively allocate funding to up to 24 regional or national projects managed by partnerships of environmental charities, not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and protected landscape bodies.

It is hoped that the announcement will support progress towards the government’s commitment in the England Trees Action Plan to at least treble planting rates by the end of this Parliament. The Plan, supported by over £500 million from the Nature for Climate Fund, outlines how the government will deliver this target, by announcing a programme of measures to boost tree planting and improve woodland management in England.

Forestry Minister Lord Goldsmith said: “With the climate change summit COP26 just days away, there has never been a more important time for trees and tree planting. This new Fund will help fund regional and national partnerships of charities, local authorities and others to turn ambitions into actions, to engage communities and landowners in tree planting, and to develop skills to help deliver our England Trees Action Plan.”