AROUND £6 million is to be handed out to projects across England that plant trees, create forestry jobs and improve access to nature.

A total of 12 schemes are set to benefit from Defra's Trees Call to Action Fund, a bumper cash boost of Heritage Fund grants, ranging from £250,000 to £500,000. 

This includes the Severn Treescapes project - which was awarded £498,903 to create a 60-mile stretch of woodland connecting the Wyre Valley, Forest of Dean and Wyre Forest - and two training initiatives led by the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF). 

Eilish McGuinness, chief executive at the Heritage Fund, said: “These projects are taking steps to mitigate the effects of climate change and we are delighted to help make that happen.

Forestry Journal:

"By building strong partnerships and making sure that people are trained in vital skills, we will be better placed to meet future tree planting targets. We can also enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits and the thriving nature that a natural landscape with more trees will bring.”

Other projects that are now quids in include the NHS Forest project, which was awarded £488,394 to support 270 healthcare sites across England plant 21,000 trees, transforming their green spaces. 

Sir William Worsley, Forestry Commission chair, said: “Addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss will require a national drive to grow and manage more trees and woodlands closer to where people live, and create more green jobs in the forestry and allied sectors.

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“This fund will play a hugely important role in helping us realise these ambitions, as set out in the England Trees Action Plan. Congratulations to all the projects which will now receive funding – together we will grow trees, woods and forests to make our nation more resilient for future generations.”