Landowners are asked to urgently come forward with possible projects
As part of a new programme - landowners across England are asked to urgently come forward with possible projects in order to unlock significant funding for tree planting.
The United Kingdom has a clear target to reach net zero carbon emissions before the year 2050 and alongside a rapid increase in renewables and energy efficiency, nature-based solutions that store carbon and increase our resilience to the impacts of the climate emergency will also have a critical role to play.
In the recent budget the Government announced a £640 million ‘Nature for Climate’ fund to support woodland creation and peatland restoration. The fund will increase tree planting in England, with the Government aiming to work with the devolved administrations to boost tree-planting rates to 30,000 hectares every year over the next five years, the equivalent of 30 million more trees.
Capturing carbon with community forestry
Community Forest Trust and England’s Community Forests have been tasked with urgently putting together a 5,000+ hectare programme of new woodland creation schemes that could be delivered by 2025.
This is an amazing opportunity to not only help address the climate emergency in local areas but also to reap the multiple benefits of trees as early as November 2020.
This programme is being led by the Community Forest Trust on behalf of England’s Community Forests, the network of locally-based organisations that have been working in partnership with local authorities, business and the third sector, delivering woodland creation, community involvement and environmental regeneration since 1990.
Trees for Climate
The programme of woodland creation will result in significant investment in planting across the whole of England, including in those areas where community forest programmes are no longer in operation but could be re-established.
The programme will lead in the immediate future to hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of new trees being planted in areas where they can contribute the greatest benefits and where our network can ensure the long-term management of those new woodlands.
These multiple benefits are a key feature of our programme. Not only do trees help us to absorb carbon and help us reach net zero emissions, they also create healthier, happier places for people to live, work and play.
Trees and woodlands make our urban areas more resilient to climate change, addressing environmental challenges such as poor air quality, flood risk and extreme heat.
Making it happen
Across England the network of Community Forests will work with local partners and landowners to drive this programme forward, beginning in the 2020/21 planting season.
With the support of Government, and agencies such as the Forestry Commission, Environment Agency and Natural England, CFT will identify the land needed to begin planting and will direct the resources needed to make it happen. Local community forests will be at the forefront of delivering those resources, and securing the long-term management of these spaces.
Iain Taylor, Director at Community Forest Trust comments:
“In order to make this happen our first target is to work with landowners to identify potential land for planting. This is just pipeline project stage – sites do not need to be 100% guaranteed. We just need to demonstrate that the scale of this initiative is possible in order to unlock this crucial funding.”
Taylor adds; “Parks, recreation grounds, existing woodlands, pockets of urban land and derelict spaces can all be considered for potential planting. All we need from landowners at this stage is the name and details of the site and the scope for planting.”
The Community Forests plan to play a central role in delivering against the Nature for Climate Fund and bring into play the huge added benefits of local community involvement in areas where more woodlands and green space can make an incredible different to people’s lives.
To find out more, please contact you local Community Forest or contact info@cf-trust.org