Northern England Celebrates 10 Million Trees Planted in Northern Forest Scheme

Tree planting in the United Kingdom has reached its highest level in more than two decades, thanks to a major push from the Keir Starmer government. Backed by an £800 million investment, the initiative aims to dramatically increase forest cover across the country. Mary Creagh, the Under-Secretary of State for Nature, shared the update in a recent BBC interview, highlighting how the Nature for Climate Fund is helping drive progress, particularly through the ambitious Northern Forest scheme.

This programme is working toward planting 50 million new trees in and around key urban centres like Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield, York and Hull. And this week, it hit a major milestone: over 10 million trees have now taken root in the north of England.

Paul Nolan, director of The Mersey Forest, called the achievement “fantastic” and emphasised how tree planting is more than a symbolic gesture—it is a practical response to a changing climate and a way to build healthier, greener communities. The benefits are already visible. Around eight fire stations in Greater Manchester have been surrounded by new tree cover, and in Hull, trees are being planted at Oak Road Playing Fields, a site near a flood-prone river.

The Mersey Forest has also teamed up with Liverpool City Council to bring new life to 20 parks throughout the city. Ten hectares of trees have been planted so far, many of them by volunteers.

Elsewhere, at Hayhills Farm Wood near Silsden in Bradford, more than 38,000 trees have been planted to create natural corridors that link four nearby woodland habitats. The idea is not just to plant trees in isolation, but to build interconnected ecosystems that can support biodiversity and make the landscape more resilient over time.

They will benefit “from cleaner air to improved mental health, and from flooding reduction to the sound of birdsong”, Nolan said. “Our woodlands and green spaces are essential to help us adapt to changing climates, to help us live happy, healthy lives and provide neighbourhoods that we’re proud to call our home.”