Labour have laid out plans to plant 20 million trees across the West of England, creating a new national forest by 2050.
The forest will create at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland, stretching across Bristol, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset and provide over 2.5 million people more access to green space and woodlands.
The new forest will form part of the government’s net-zero ambitions while also “promoting economic growth and creating jobs” in the western counties. The department of environment, food and rural affairs (DEFRA) said that it will also “help us meet our nature and legal environment targets including halting the decline of species and protecting 30 per cent of land for nature by 2030”.
The creation of the forest will be led by the Forest of Avon, a Bristol based community trust that protects woodlands and plants trees across England, who will be supported by a £7.5 million government investment over five years.
Alex Stone, Chief Executive of Forest of Avon 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.”
DEFRA launched a multi-million-pound funding competition in February 2024 to decide where to invest in a new ‘Forest For the Nation’. The competition saw applicants outline where a new forest would be created and who would lead the project. The winner of the funding would be given “up to £10 million to fund their project” as well as mentorship from the National Forest Company.
According to DEFRA the plans were “inspired by the achievements of the National Forest, which has transformed the landscape across 200 square miles of the Midlands since the 1990s.”
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.”
