Government pledges £6m to develop Northern forest

The Government has announced plans to create a new forest spanning more than 120 miles of land around the M62 motorway.

Following backing from the Environment Secretary Michael Gove, over the next 25 years the Woodland Trust and Community Forest Trust are aiming to plant more than 50 million trees from Liverpool to Hull, with the government providing almost £6m to launch the first project of its kind for more than a quarter of a century.

The proposed Northern forest between the cities of Bradford, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, aims to boost habitats for woodland birds and bats and protect iconic species such as the red squirrel.

The forest will connect the five community forests in the north – the Mersey Forest, Manchester City of Trees, South Yorkshire Community Forest, the Leeds White Rose Forest and the HEYwoods Project – with green infrastructure and woodland created in and around major urban centres such as Chester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Manchester.

The first planting will begin in March this year, supported by funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, at the Woodland Trust’s 680-hectare Northern Forest flagship site at Smithills in Bolton.
It will follow on from the successful National Forest, which transformed 200 square miles of industrial site in the heart of England.

The announcement forms part of the government’s upcoming 25 Year Environment Plan.

Prime Minister Theresa May said: “It is vital that we leave our planet in a better state than we found it, with cleaner air, stronger protections for animal welfare and greener spaces for everyone to enjoy.

“Progress is being made. We’re investing over £3billion in improving air quality, tackling marine pollution by banning harmful microbeads and increasing sentences for animal cruelty to five years.

“But to create an environment fit for the future we can’t stop there, and that is why we are supporting the creation of this new Northern Forest and will shortly be setting out our ambitious vision to further support the environment and protect its good health for generations to come.”

Gove added: “This new Northern Forest is an ambitious and exciting project that will create a vast ribbon of woodland cover in northern England stretching from coast to coast, providing a rich habitat for wildlife to thrive, and a natural environment for millions of people to enjoy. This new forest will help us deliver a Green Brexit and help to deliver on our pledge to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.”

The Woodland Trust and Community Forest Trust estimate the new forest will generate more than £2bn for the country’s economy.

The Woodland Trust is already committed to investing over £10m in the project and several others over the wider forest area.

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