Grants available for tree planting projects through £6m fund
Melanie May | 1 November 2021 | News
Environmental charities, not-for-profits, local authorities and protected landscape bodies are invited to apply for a share of a new £6 million fund aimed at planting more trees, creating jobs and improving access to nature across the country.
The Trees Call to Action Fund opens for expressions of interest on Wednesday 3 November until noon on 16 November, and will be delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Defra and the Forestry Commission. It aims to support progress towards the Government’s commitment in the England Trees Action Plan to at least treble planting rates by the end of this Parliament.
Grants of £250,000 to £500,000 are available for projects across England. At least three will be for new regional partnerships set up to create woodlands at a large scale and improve people’s access to nature, following the Forest for Cornwall and Great Northumberland Forest partnerships.
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The fund will competitively allocate funding to up to 24 regional or national projects managed by partnerships of environmental charities, not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and protected landscape bodies. Projects will be required to outline how they can best deliver against the England Trees Action Plan.
Funding will be targeted at regions, activities and costs that are not supported by other government funding for trees, aiming to increase community understanding of and access to trees and woodlands, and boost efforts to increase woodland cover in areas that need it most.
The fund will also support projects to engage people with trees, create new jobs and develop skills and knowledge, such as through developing training and placement programmes for new foresters and woodland managers.
Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said:
“To meet the climate and biodiversity crises we need to grow and manage more trees – this needs to be done as a national effort so we are better connecting people with nature and creating more green jobs. This Fund will have a hugely important role in helping us realise these ambitions, as set out in the England Trees Action Plan.
“I would urge any prospective applicant to apply, together we will grow trees, woods and forests to make our nation more resilient for future generations.”
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive, National Lottery Heritage Fund, added:
“Trees are a critical part of our natural heritage, from capturing carbon emissions to mitigating pollution, they play a vital role in protecting and enhancing our landscape for all generations to enjoy. We are delighted to support this new Trees Call to Action Fund which will enable partnerships to create woodlands, enhancing our beautiful countryside and providing a huge benefit to our wildlife and our health and wellbeing, as well as helping to combat the impacts of climate change.
More information on the Fund and how to apply is available on the Heritage Fund site.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.