- Over 2,500 hectares of new woodland and hedgerows have been planted across England’s Community Forests in the 2024/25 planting season – equivalent to 3,500 football pitches.
- 19,159 local people engaged across over 896 different projects.
- Over 8 million trees have now been planted across England’s Community Forests since the Trees for Climate programme began – that’s 35% of all government-funded tree planting since 2020.
- £8 worth of economic benefit for every £1 invested by Defra into England’s Community Forests, with over 641,000 households provided access to nature and 608,089 m3 of flood water storage capacity every year.
England’s Community Forests have taken another major step forward in creating new woodland across the country, with over 3.1 million trees planted during the 2024/25 season under the Defra supported Trees for Climate programme. This effort forms part of a long-term national commitment to expand tree cover and deliver the wide-ranging benefits that woodlands provide to people, nature and the economy.
Established in 2020, Trees for Climate is supporting local delivery of tree planting by Community Forests and other partners across England. The programme not only contributes to the UK’s net zero and nature recovery targets but also provides direct benefits to local communities, landowners and farmers.
From the rural landscapes of Cumbria to the urban fringes of Bristol, new woodland projects have created places where communities can connect with nature, enjoy improved health and wellbeing, and benefit from more resilient local environments. Trees planted this year are already beginning to improve air quality, reduce flood risks, and provide essential habitats for wildlife.
For farmers and landowners, Trees for Climate offers attractive incentives and support to diversify income, improve soil health, and build climate resilience. The programme provides tailored guidance and funding for those looking to integrate tree planting into their land management plans — whether for shelterbelts, agroforestry, or larger woodland schemes – with England’s Community Forests’ local teams making it easy for farmers and landowners to apply for funding and wider support.
Some exciting projects over the last year include:
- Raise: Cumbria Community Forest – Welton Farm, Carlisle: 3,350 trees planted on farmland to improve the farm’s health, resilience, and land management practices. The primary goal was to create a wood pasture system that would provide shelter for the sheep, improve opportunities for nature and biodiversity, and potentially serve as an educational site.
- Forest of Avon – The Meadow, Kewstoke: A one-hectare amelioration scheme planting 1,250 new trees, which will provide a haven for native plants, wildlife and neighbours. Project benefits include reducing flood risk for the local area, increasing wildlife diversity, habitat and food supply, and improving visual amenities for the local community.
- White Rose Forest – Camphill Wakefield: Set in 38 acres of green space in Chapelthorpe, Camphill Wakefield is a specialist college supporting 65 young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Five acres of land are being transformed into vibrant new woodland, creating a new outdoor learning space which will be used by students to practice real-life employability skills in conservation and land-based industries – sectors that are expanding regionally and nationally.
Paul Nolan, Chair of England’s Community Forests and Director of The Mersey Forest, said: “Our delivery success through Trees for Climate has created vital greenspace that will make a difference for generations to come whilst also unlocking economic growth both locally and nationally. These new woodlands are helping bringing communities together, enhancing our landscapes, and creating sustainable opportunities for landowners and farmers. This has all been made possible through close partnership working across our Community Forest areas.
“We’re delighted that we have once again outperformed Defra’s targets, and look forward to putting our unrivalled local knowledge and unique approach to use delivering even more woodland in the year to come – all whilst looking to green finance and new investment partners who can help us deliver even more new woodland for local people.”
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “With this Government, tree planting rates are now at the highest level in over 20 years.
“We rapidly established a new Tree Planting Taskforce, announced the first of three new national forests and these figures show we are making good progress.
“There is much more to do – that is why we are investing over £800 million to plant trees across the country as part of our Plan for Change.”
The success of England’s Community Forests is made possible by strong collaboration with a wide range of delivery partners. Trees for Climate is delivered in partnership with national bodies including the Forestry Commission, Defra, the Woodland Trust, the National Trust, and Natural England, as well as local authorities, community organisations, environmental charities, and private landowners.
England’s Community Forests also play a central role in ambitious regional woodland initiatives — including the newly announced Western Forest, which will expand woodland creation across the west of the country, and the Northern Forest, an ambitious 50 million tree collaboration with the Woodland Trust that stretches from Liverpool to Hull across the north of England. These collaborative efforts bring together multiple partners to deliver landscape-scale change, enhance natural capital, and support the green economy.
Funding from the Trees for Climate programme, part of Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund, is available to landowners and land managers across England’s Community Forest areas, to cover up to 100% of all woodland creation project costs as well as future establishment.
For more information about how to get involved or apply for funding and support from the Trees for Climate programme, visit www.englandscommunityforests.org.uk/landowners.
