Twenty million trees will be planted and 2,500 hectares of new woodland will be created in the west of England as part of a new national forest, Defra has confirmed.
The Western Forest will serve over 2.5 million residents, bringing trees and woodlands closer to where people live, the department said on Friday (21 March).
The forest will be made up of new and existing woodlands in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset, as well as the Cotswolds and the Mendips.
Over 73% of the forest’s land use will be agricultural, with Defra saying the project would create a "huge opportunity" to support farmers across the region.
These include initiatives to integrate trees into the farmed landscape through agroforestry and farm woodlands.
The Western Forest will be spearheaded by the Forest of Avon, one of England’s Community Forests supported by £7.5m of funding over five years.
The Labour government's manifesto committed to three new national forests over the course of this parliament.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “We will plant 20 million trees in the Western Forest to bring nature closer to people, prevent flooding and support wildlife.”
National Forest chief executive, John Everitt added: “This initiative builds on the success of the National Forest in the Midlands, where planting more than 9.8m trees has transformed the landscape.
“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.”
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which represents landowners, asked what financial incentives there would be for farmers in the area, particularly following the sudden closure of the SFI scheme.
“We look forward to learning more about the new Western Forest, particularly what it will mean for farmers," said Ann Maidment, south west regional director of the CLA.
“We need to ensure that the creation of the national forest provides opportunities for farmers to continue using the land productively while supporting biodiversity and climate change measures."
