The Forest for the Nation has moved a step closer today (Saturday
3 February) with the launch of a new major multi-million-pound
grant funding competition.
The competition is inspired by the success of the original
National Forest which transformed a large area of the Midlands
from an industrial landscape to a thriving 200 square mile
treescape rich with wildlife.
The new Forest for the Nation is set to build on the achievement
with the aim of transforming more local communities and
landscapes. Organisations from across England are now invited to
put forward their local areas to become the new Forest for the
Nation, with the winning bid announced in the autumn and
receiving up to £10 million to help fund their project.
The competition will put local people at its heart with the
winning applicant needing to tell a compelling story of how the
new forest will benefit local communities but also have a
national impact for people, nature and the environment. Projects
could include those that show real innovation in woodland and
forest creation and other forms of tree planting, have a
transformational impact for nature recovery in the area or boost
community engagement with woodlands.
Forestry Minister said:
“We are investing in our communities and the new Forest for the
Nation will not only boost tree-planting in local areas, but will
create a lasting legacy and benefit future generations.
“More trees means more green jobs, more wildlife, more nature
recovery and more timber. This will have a positive impact on
local people and their communities enabling a more sustainable
future.”
Forestry Commission Chair Sir William Worsley
said:
“Trees bring multiple benefits for future generations, and the
new Forest for the Nation will improve access to nature and
connect more people with our countryside to boost health and
wellbeing.
“The Forest for the Nation will learn from the success of the
National Forest in transforming lives of local people, preventing
nature loss and creating green jobs, and I urge organisations to
consider applying before the deadline.”
Stage 1 of the competition will close in March 2024 with the
successful applicants going to stage 2 where they will be
directly supported by the National Forest Company to work up
detailed proposals. The winning project will also receive
mentoring from the National Forest Company, who will share their
experience and best practice from more than 30 years of growing a
woodland with national impact. The National Forest Company have
to date planted 9 million trees and are recognised for creating
one of the most ambitious and imaginative regeneration projects
in the country.
National Forest Company Chief Executive John Everitt
said:
“This competition provides a platform for new projects to come
together at a landscape scale and demonstrate real ambition and
innovation in woodland creation, access and biodiversity.
“It will be a transformational opportunity for the successful
project just as the National Forest has been for its 200 square
miles of the Midlands”.
The competition first
announced in November is the latest step in the Government’s
plans to help people access nature, plant more trees and support
nature recovery. The England
Trees Action Plan and Environmental Action
Plan set out ambitious targets to treble tree planting
rates by the end of this Parliament and to achieve at least 16.5%
of tree and woodland cover by 2050.
- For more information, including links to upcoming webinars
providing potential applicants the opportunity to ask questions
about the competition, visit Forest
for the Nation competition - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- The new Forest for the Nation competition invites bids from
across England for ambitious and innovative woodland creation and
management projects. This can include partnerships which involve
connecting and enhancing existing woodlands.
- To be the overall winner, applicants must have agreement from
an English Local Authority to receive and distribute the Section
31 grant to the delivery partner and manage the relationship
between them and the delivery partner.
- The new Forest for the Nation will support
the England
Trees Action Plan, which is committed to treble tree
planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament. Its
delivery is funded by the Nature for Climate Fund, which is
over £750m.
- The new Forest for the Nation will also support the
government’s statutory tree and woodland targets to increase tree
canopy and woodland cover of England to 16.5% by 2050.
- Additionally, the project will support
specific Environmental Improvement
Plan aims such as plans to achieve net zero emissions
by 2050, restoring nature and helping to bend the curve of
biodiversity loss.
