Launched in 2018, the Northern Forest is an ambitious programme of transformational change. The aim is to establish at least 50 million new trees over 25 years, bringing existing woodlands into better management across 10,000 square miles of land stretching from Liverpool to Hull. Since the programme started, over 10 million new trees have been established.

The area is home to almost 13 million people but it only has 7.6% woodland cover – much lower than the UK average of 13% and the European average of 30%. The vision of the Northern Forest is to tackle this, transforming a landscape with critically low tree cover to one that can deliver the economic, health, nature and climate benefits associated with trees to the areas of greatest need.

The Northern Forest is already providing benefits including:

• an annual economic uplift of £50,000,000 through natural benefits such as flood mitigation, improved air quality and access to nature
• an additional 55,000 tonnes of carbon locked up each year – equivalent to a carbon footprint of over 25,000 flights from London to Dubai
• a publicly accessible woodland now less than a 10–minute walk away for 339,000 extra households
• more than 1.5 million cubic metres of additional water storage – equal to an annual water storage cost of £700,000
• 4,669 hectares of new woodland, with an additional 10,000 hectares of better–connected habitat networks for wildlife.

Map of the Northern Forest, showing the four Community Forests found within it. The Woodland Trust works across all regions. Credit: WTML

Growing a better future

Increasing tree cover and protecting ancient woodland in the North will help our wildlife thrive, create better connected and extensive new woods and benefit communities for generations to come.

When we hit that 50 million milestone, the Northern Forest will have transformed into an even more beautiful and resilient region, enriching the lives of everyone who lives, works, explores, learns and plays there.

Who's delivering the Northern Forest?

Working together with many other partners, the Woodland Trust, the Community Forest Trust and four of the Community Forests in the north of England – The Mersey Forest, City of Trees (Greater Manchester), the White Rose Forest and Humber Forest – are bringing the Northern Forest to life.

Discover which organisations are active in your area of the Northern Forest, and explore the support and grants that are available to kickstart your tree planting and woodland establishment projects today.

The Northern Forest is also one of the seven 'investable propositions' that underpin Nature North, a collaborative initiative to invest in nature recovery and nature-based solutions across the North of England. Learn more about Nature North.