The Great Northumberland Forest has received £725,000 to support the planning and planting of more trees across the county.
 

The funding, which comes from the Government’s Nature for Climate Fund, will help landowners in Northumberland create well-designed and more diverse woodlands, by combining trees and shrubs with crop and livestock farming - whatever shape and size.  
 

The funding will allow The Great Northumberland Forest team to improve what is possible from existing funds and help landowners plant in in smaller areas which would not normally qualify for the Forestry Commission’s English Woodland Creation Offer fund. 
 

More trees will help mitigate flood risk in vulnerable areas of the county and provide more places for nature and biodiversity to thrive. And, since trees are fantastic carbon absorbers, this will also help Northumberland County Council towards its carbon neutral targets. 
 

Mark Child, Programme Director for the Great Northumberland Forest commented, “This is fantastic news. For the first time, we can help the landowners who want to plant at all scales.  
 

“We will continue to help on the larger scale projects, but we now have the resources to help landowners plant in smaller parcels, whether that’s community orchards, shelter belts for farmers or getting diverse forestry projects off the ground.  
 

“If you have land and are interested, please get in touch and we will work with you to develop your planting proposal.” 
 

The fund works in two parts and follows the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Forestry Commission principles to ensure new planting is in harmony within its setting.  
 

The first part specifically supports the planting of trees, and the second part supports the surveying, consultation and design work needed when planning a small new woodland. 
 

Council leader, Glen Sanderson, said, “It’s great to see this kind of investment coming into our county. If done with care, combining trees in farming landscapes can bring enormous benefits.  
 

“Being a farmer myself, I get to see first-hand the benefits that trees bring to our lands and our country as a whole – from enriching soils, giving shade to livestock to creating beautiful green spaces and of course, improving our air quality.” 
 

Each application considers how planting can enrich existing ecosystems which is vital as Northumberland hosts species and habitats which are struggling, such as the red squirrel, curlew, and peatlands. 
 

For more information, please see Northumberland County Council - Great Northumberland Forest. If you would like support in planting trees, you can reach the team on enquiries.forest@northumberland.gov.uk or 01670 623 416.