Government Unveils Plan to Plant 20 Million Trees, Creating New National Forest

In a landmark environmental initiative, the UK Government has announced plans for a vast new national forest—the Western Forest—stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips. Spanning at least 2,500 hectares, this ambitious project will weave together urban and rural landscapes, providing green sanctuaries for Bristol, Gloucester, and Swindon communities. With a bold target of 20 million trees planted by 2050, the initiative represents a significant step toward reforesting Britain and bolstering biodiversity.

At the project's helm is the Forest of Avon Trust, a charitable organisation spearheading this green revolution. Backed by up to £7.5 million in government funding over five years, the initiative will expand tree cover, restore degraded woodlands, and establish an interconnected forest network.

The Forestry Commission, instrumental in selecting the project, will oversee its progression alongside the National Forest Company, an entity with a proven track record in large-scale woodland creation. This effort is part of a broader national commitment to establish three new national forests, aligning with the UK’s target to increase tree and woodland cover to 16.5% by 2050.

Beyond ecological benefits, the Western Forest catalyses economic growth across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and the West of England, generating jobs and fostering rural resilience. The project will engage landowners, local authorities, and environmental organisations to ensure sustainable development.

With over 73% of the designated land currently used for agriculture, the initiative will incorporate agroforestry techniques, allowing farmers to integrate trees into their landscapes through farm woodlands and regenerative practices. Public engagement will be key, with volunteering programs, educational initiatives, and expanded public access forming part of the plan.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “The Government was elected on a mandate to plant three new national forests this parliament, as part of our commitment to reach net-zero and drive sustainable growth under the Government’s Plan for Change.”

Creagh added that the forest will help to “bring nature closer to people, prevent flooding and support wildlife.”

Despite the UK’s legally binding goal of protecting 30% of its land and sea by 2030, recent Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) reports indicate that only 9.7% of England’s seas and just 3% of its land are currently safeguarded for nature. The Western Forest seeks to help bridge this gap, offering a tangible step toward achieving conservation targets.

Government Unveils Pesticide Action Plan to Cut Environmental Impact

In parallel to its forestry initiative, the UK Government has introduced a new National Action Plan (NAP) on pesticides, marking the first significant policy overhaul in a decade. The plan lays out a comprehensive strategy to transition toward integrated pest management (IPM), aiming to reduce environmental harm from pesticides by 10% over the next five years.

IPM emphasises natural alternatives to chemical pesticides, promoting methods such as biopesticides, crop rotation, and using natural predators to manage pests effectively. The framework also introduces a Pesticide Load Indicator to track pesticide impact across 20 environmental markers to ensure accountability.

The plan strengthens training, enforcement, and guidance for farmers and land managers to bolster compliance. Moreover, it allocates £150 million under the Farming Innovation Programme to fund research and development in sustainable pest control. This follows the government’s ban on three harmful neonicotinoid pesticides—clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam—to safeguard pollinators.

While the NAP has been welcomed as a positive step forward, environmentalists argue that more needs to be done. Barnaby Coupe, Senior Land Use Policy Manager at The Wildlife Trusts, noted that while introducing a pesticide load indicator and reduction target is encouraging, the 10% goal may not be ambitious enough to meet international commitments, such as halving pesticide-related risks by 2030.

“Also missing is a clear commitment and strategy to phase out the unnecessary use of pesticides in urban areas. The continued use of harmful chemicals where people live and work is hugely damaging to wildlife and human health, with some cities and towns across the UK demonstrating that operating without chemicals is entirely possible. This was a missed opportunity, and UK Government must look to go further and faster to boost nature where it can deliver the most benefits for people and wildlife.”