120-mile Northern Forest project will involve planting of 50m trees over 25 years
- Northern Forest will have environmental, economical and welfare benefits
- Will stretch from Liverpool to Humberside
More than 50 million tress will be planted from Liverpool to Hull as the Woodland Trust look to create a gigantic new Northern Forest.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced that the government was backing the project which will have huge environmental benefits.
A total of £5.7m will be granted in order to begin the project, which will take an estimated 25 years to complete.
The 120-mile woodland stretch will provide the area with natural flood management and boost the UK economy, producing a predicted £2 bn in revenue.
New habitats for birds, bats and the threatened red squirrel will be created to help the animal population grow. And people living along the route will gain beautiful new areas to explore and air quality in northern towns will also be improved from the new trees.
Director of conservation for the Woodland Trust, Austin Brady, said: “A new Northern Forest could deliver a wide range of benefits, including helping to reduce flood risk, and adapt some of the UK’s major towns and cities to projected climate change. The North of England is perfectly suited to reap the benefits of a project on this scale.”
Consideration into where will benefit most from the plant of new trees has been taken into careful account when planning the ambitious forest – new forests will be created whilst existing woodland will be bulked up with fresh planting of trees.
The Northern Forest hopes to bring about a new period of environmental conservation in the north.
Tony Hothersall added: “The Northern Forest offers an amazing opportunity to link up many of the community based projects across the region. By working together we can enhance the resilience, attractiveness and sustainable economic future of the North, whilst reaping the many benefits trees bring.”