THE search for a new national park for England and protection for urban wildlife havens and trees have been announced in a plan for nature set out by Rishi Sunak.

The environmental package designed to boost access to nature comes ahead of the Cop28 climate summit which starts in Dubai on Thursday.

The Prime Minister, who will attend the gathering, said protecting nature is at the “centre of our action to tackle climate change”. 

The Government’s package includes the launch in the new year of the process to create a national park – a commitment set out in the 2019 Tory manifesto – a competition for a new national forest and 34 new landscape recovery projects across England.

The schemes will cover 200,000 hectares of land, including woodlands, England's temperate rainforests (backed by £750,000 of funding into R&D) and sustainable food production. New powers will also come into force that will strengthen requirements for local authorities to consult with communities before cutting down street trees.

Two additional community forests will be created in Derbyshire and the Tees Valley.

Mr Sunak said: "I shared in the nation’s profound sense of anger in response to what happened at the Sycamore Gap earlier this year, but the public’s outrage fundamentally demonstrated just how much love the British people have for the natural world.  

Forestry Journal: New powers will also come into force that will strengthen requirements for local authorities to consult with communities before cutting down street trees.New powers will also come into force that will strengthen requirements for local authorities to consult with communities before cutting down street trees.

"From Yorkshire’s historic rolling moors to ancient rainforest on the Cornish coast, we are home to many globally significant landscapes. We must do all it takes to protect these much-loved spaces and ensure that love for the natural world continues into the next generations." 

Conservation advisory body Natural England will consider locations for the new national park, with the Government making the final decision next year.

Sir William Worsley, chair of the Forestry Commission, said:  "Trees improve people’s quality of lives and are the heart of our communities. It is vital that alongside increasing tree planting across the nation, we protect our existing treescapes and woodlands and ensure more people have access to them." 

However, the official announcement made no mention of timber in any form. 

Sir William continued: "The ambitious new measures announced today build upon the ongoing work of the Forestry Commission. From rare British rainforests in our countryside to the trees in our towns and cities, we will continue to ensure trees bring benefits for future generation."