Farmers in landowners in Erewash are being asked if they wish to be part of a project to plant a community forest in Derbyshire.
Grants are available for farmers and other landowners along the eastern and southern fringes of Derbyshire with space available to plant trees as part of the county’s Heartwood Community Forest.
Derbyshire County Council is leading the project to create the community forest funded by the England’s Community Forests Trees for Climate fund.
The fund, which is part of the Government’s Nature for Climate programme, offers one of the most competitive grant schemes for tree planting available today.
Grants can be used to support a range of different woodland options from small-scale tree planting and low-density tree planting to large multi-use woodlands extending more than 5ha.
Landowners can apply for grant funding to cover the cost of:
- Tree planting to create new woodland
- associated infrastructure such as fencing and gates
- on-going maintenance to ensure new woodlands thrive.
They will also receive expert and impartial advice and support from the county council to guide them through planning, funding and planting.
Councillor Carolyn Renwick, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment, said: “Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest will improve access to nature, boost biodiversity, help tackle the effects of climate change and help provide more green space to Derbyshire’s residents, especially in areas which have fewer woodlands.
“We’re pleased to be able to link up with local farmers and landowners to look at where we can start planting woodland havens in their communities to create a positive legacy for generations to come.
“I’d urge anyone who is interested and has land available to visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/landowners and register an expression of interest so that we can contact them to discuss opportunities available.”
Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest is one of 15 England’s Community Forests which are located in and around large towns and cities, providing urban, economic and social regeneration, championing green infrastructure and creating high-quality environments for millions of people.
Trees will be planted on pockets of available land stretching over a geographic area of approximately 289 square miles within communities along the eastern border of the county and areas in the south of the county including in Erewash, covering Breadsall, West Hallam, Breaston, Ilkeston, Long Eaton, Sandiacre.
The project aims to plant 300,000 trees on publicly accessible land by March 2025, supporting the county council’s ambition to help facilitate the planting of a million trees by 2030.
The community forest will be established in three phases with the third phase centred around establishing a new Community Forest Charitable Trust from April 2025 onwards to manage and maintain it in the future.