Politicians plant six millionth tree of the Northern Forest
Lead PR Manager
A host of dignitaries joined together to plant the six millionth tree, to mark five years since the start of the ambitious Northern Forest project to link up Liverpool to Hull with trees.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, and Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, joined the planting at Liverpool John Moores University. Also in attendance were Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council (the accountable body for The Mersey Forest and Trees for Climate programme), and Councillor Barbara Murray from Liverpool City Council, who is a member of the Mersey Forest Steering Group.
The university recently conducted an impact assessment* of the Northern Forest, which showed around 300,000 households have been given new access to nature since the project started, with the equivalent of more than 4,000 football pitches of trees planted.
Nick Sellwood, the Woodland Trust’s Northern Forest Programme Director, said the planting of the six millionth tree, during National Tree Week, is an important milestone.
"It’s wonderful to see everyone coming together to mark this important milestone," he said. "It has been massively rewarding to see the Northern Forest expanding across the north where trees were desperately needed, levelling up tree cover with the south.
"These trees are already helping communities across the M62 corridor in many ways, from combating flooding to providing new areas of nature for people to access.
"We’ve a long way to go though and need politicians to keep committing to funding so that we can complete this ambitious project."
Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest and Chair of England’s Community Forests, said:
"The tree planted today is a symbol of the hard work and commitment of the Northern Forest Partnership and the communities that we work so closely with. Increasing woodland cover across the north will benefit our residents, the environment and the economy for years to come, and we can’t wait to help plant the next six million."
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
"Wildlife is one of our region's most precious natural assets and we need to do everything in our power to not only protect it - but to help it flourish. Every new tree planted makes a huge difference to our communities and, while we might be marking the final milestone today, the roots we've laid down will have a lasting, positive impact on our natural environment.
"This really is just the start of our journey to revitalising our region's natural biodiversity – from our Local Nature Recovery Strategy to our £1.3m Community Environment Fund and our ambitious rewilding plans, we're making great strides to protect our precious ecosystems.
"All of this work has a much bigger role to play in our ambition to reach net zero by 2040 – at least a decade ahead of national government targets – helping us improve the quality of air our children breathe and secure a greener, cleaner future for the next generation. We're only at the beginning of this journey but I'm confident that, working together, we can make a really positive difference to our people – and our planet."
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
"Green spaces are so important to people’s quality of life, our environment and wildlife, and our mental wellbeing. The Northern Forest project is doing great work enhancing our environment, creating and renewing forests and green spaces for generations to come."
Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said:
"Increasing tree cover and access to green spaces is vital for communities across the north. The ambitious Northern Forest project has delivered so much for the first five years, and I can’t wait to see the benefits it brings for communities, the economy and the environment as it expands further."
The Northern Forest project kicked off in 2018, thanks to a core partnership involving the Woodland Trust and four Community Forests: Greater Manchester’s City of Trees, The Mersey Forest, Humber Forest and the White Rose Forest, and the Community Forest Trust.
Among its aims were to increase the very low tree cover across the north, which stands at just 7.6% compared to the national average of 13%, and is much lower than most counties in the south. They will achieve this by establishing at least 50 million new trees by 2043, helping to transform the landscape from Liverpool to the Yorkshire Coast.
The project also aimed to lock up tonnes of carbon to fight climate change, generate billions of pounds of benefits to communities, reduce the risk of flooding and create more jobs. It has since expanded through villages, towns and countryside across the north, connecting more people with nature.
One beneficiary of new trees in the Northern Forest is Liverpool Parks and Greenspaces, supported by The Mersey Forest. Owned by Liverpool City Council, over 12 hectares of trees have been planted to complement wildflower schemes, enhancing a range of recreational facilities across the city including public open spaces, formal and informal parks, schools and sports facilities.
The Northern Forest Partnership has hugely benefited from the Government's Nature for Climate Fund, which has played a major part in funding the six million trees planted so far through the Nature for Climate Funded Grow Back Greener and Trees for Climate programmes.
Key points from the impact assessment study by Liverpool John Moores University:
- More than 4,000 football pitches of trees planted.
- 19,000 tonnes of carbon locked up by trees planted through Northern Forest.
- Additional 3,500 hectares of new habitat networks for wildlife.
- £43 million annual uplift flowing from the natural benefits.
- 7.5 million more visits to woodland each year.
- 87,500 households within deprived areas have access to woodland within 500 metres.
- 33% improvement in flood mitigation across planted sites.
Notes to editors
For more about this press release contact Andy Bond in the Woodland Trust press office on 07725480434.
About the Northern Forest
The Northern Forest has already established over five million new trees since 2018 and is helping transform the landscape from coast to coast and in and around cities such as Liverpool, Chester, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, York and Hull.
A partnership between the Woodland Trust and four of England’s Community Forests: City of Trees, Mersey Forest, Humber Forest and White Rose Forest, as well as the Community Forest Trust (collectively the Northern Forest Partnership) is delivering this ambitious project. The partnership aims to increase woodland across the Northern Forest area in order to connect people with nature, create growth and investment opportunities, reduce climate change and flood risk, improve health and wellbeing, support the rural economy and develop innovative funding mechanisms for the future.
The Northern Forest covers an area of 13 million people and has 7.6% woodland cover - well below Europe’s average. Across England, only 10% of our land area is covered by woodland. In Scotland that stands at 18%, and in France, Germany and Spain it is 31%, 33% and 37% respectively.
About the Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK. It has over 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife.
The Trust has three key aims:
- protect ancient woodland which is rare, unique and irreplaceable
- restore damaged ancient woodland, bringing precious pieces of our natural history back to life
- plant native woods and trees with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 29,000 hectares. Access to its woods is free so everyone can benefit from woods and trees.
About Humber Forest
Humber Forest is the Community Forest for Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. It works together with communities, businesses and landowners to increase tree cover and maintain existing woodland. It connects people and woodlands for happier and healthier communities, helps tackle climate change and improves the local environment for all.
Humber Forest prides itself on creating additional benefits to tree planting by using local charity tree nurseries and delivery partners, encouraging local people to participate in tree planting.
In the last two years, Humber Forest has planted 150,000 trees and is planning to plant another 200,000 by the end of March 2024.
About City of Trees
City of Trees plants trees, looks after trees and promotes a culture of trees across Greater Manchester; creating better, greener places, boosting health and wellbeing, enhancing green skills and tackling the climate and biodiversity emergency. City of Trees is passionate about making the region even better, one tree at a time.
About The Mersey Forest
The Mersey Forest is a growing network of woodlands and green spaces spread across Cheshire and Merseyside, which has been creating 'woodlands on your doorstep' for 30 years.
The Forest is one of the leading environmental regeneration initiatives in the North West. Through community and partnership working, it has planted over nine million trees – equivalent to five new trees for every person living within the Forest area.
The Forest helps towns and cities in the area adapt to climate change, creates woodlands that 20% of local people visit at least once a week, and helps improve the image of our towns and cities.
About White Rose Forest
White Rose Forest is the community forest for North and West Yorkshire and a founding partner of the Northern Forest. It includes experts in woodland creation and working in partnership with landowners, local authorities, businesses and communities to plant more trees across the region and improve the natural environment. It is planting millions of trees in urban centres and countryside that will help manage flood risk, combat climate change, create jobs and provide happier and healthier places for us all to live, work in and enjoy.