A new coastal community forest – the equivalent of 210 football pitches – will be created in Cumbria.
The scheme, spearheaded by Defra, England’s Community Forest and Cumbria County Council, means that a tree will be planted for every resident of Allerdale, Copeland and Barrow over the next five years.
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 – almost 7,000 football pitches.
It has received a £220,000 boost from Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund to kickstart planting in the next year. By growing trees where they are most needed, corridors of woodlands will be created along the west coast of Cumbria from Barrow to Carlisle which will better connect 65 miles of coastal communities to nature, helping people to enjoy the benefits of being out close to trees and woodlands.
The Government says it is part of its levelling up agenda, and will help create jobs and improve living standards, plus help the UK meet its net zero target by 2050.
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. “I look forward to working with all partners involved and will ensure that, through careful planning and expert management, the trees of Cumbria and elsewhere can continue to thrive as they grow.”
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.
“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.”
