Thanks to a £220,000 boost from Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund to kickstart planting, this funding will see a tree planted equivalent to every resident living in Barrow, Copeland and Allerdale. Defra has approved Cumbria’s proposal for a new coastal community woodland – which will provide a series of connected community woodlands down the western coast of Cumbria. Thousands of trees will be planted over five years (up to 150 hectares) and in the next 25 years, a minimum of 5,000 hectares of woodland will be created. These will provide direct and real benefit for people living within these communities through the development of new tree planting and woodland creation. It will offer opportunities for decarbonisation and enhance the county’s natural capital, making Cumbria a more attractive place to live and work. The development of the Cumbria Community Forest bid has been led by Cumbria County Council, The National Trust and Cumbria Woodlands, in close partnership with other local councils including Barrow Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council and Allerdale Borough Council. It has also been supported by a range of other organisations including Art Gene, The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and Britain’s Energy Coast.
Councillor Celia Tibble, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, said:
“This is incredibly exciting, and I’m delighted that the county council will be taking the lead role in this initiative. Trees and woodlands are vital in our fight against climate change but not only this; they also provide far reaching physical and mental health benefits too. Being able to connect local people with local nature without the need to travel will be fantastic.”
Jez Westgarth, Lakes Future Farming Programme Manager from the National Trust, added:
“We have been delighted to support the development of this exciting initiative, that will provide local opportunities for people to enjoy nature and beauty within easy reach of where they live and work. Through a range of different opportunities that the community forest will provide, we can help support and encourage everyone to be able to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of spending time in nature and the great outdoors.” Neville Elstone from Cumbria Woodlands, said:
“The development of Community Forests will provide a rich local focal point to attract visitors and make the area a more attractive location to live and work. Importantly, it’s not just increasing woodland cover. It’s about opportunity, engagement and enjoyment for local communities and visitors alike. The complimentary opportunities for green jobs, nature recovery, carbon storage and environmental resilience are endless.” Lord Goldsmith, Forestry Minister, added:
“This announcement further expands and strengthens England’s network of Community Forests. All across the country we are growing more trees and woodland than ever before, including in and around some of England’s most deprived communities. “Forests are vital for the future of our planet and this exciting new project will contribute towards our commitment to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament.” Sir William Worsley, Forestry Commission Chair, said:
“The incredible value of trees has never been clearer, and it is my personal passion to make sure as many people as possible get to experience their benefits. This initiative will offer local opportunities for people to enjoy nature from their doorstep, providing people of all ages and abilities with fresh air and spaces to breathe.
“I look forward to working with all partners involved and will ensure that, through careful planning and expert management, the trees of Cumbria and elsewhere can continue to thrive as they grow.” There will now be extensive further engagement with a range of communities to help shape and agree the final plan.”