News
Forest cover success
The National Forest celebrates landmark achievement of 25% forest cover.
16 August 2024
The National Forest has planted more than 150,000 trees during the 2024 to 2025 season, bringing the total number planted since its creation to over 9.85 million.
With the 10 millionth tree now firmly in sight, the Forest is nearing another major milestone in a transformational journey spanning more than three decades.
During this time, the visitor economy across the area has increased by nearly 30%, with the arts and recreation sector growing by 14% over the past eight years.
The Forest now welcomes over 8.2 million visitors in a typical year, underlining its value not only for the environment but also for the regional economy and cultural offer.
Over that same period, woodland cover across the Forest area has increased from just 6% to more than 25%, transforming the landscape and delivering long-term environmental benefits.
The 2024 to 2025 planting season took place between November and March, covering the 200 square miles of the Forest.
More than a third of all the trees planted were delivered in collaboration with landowners and partners, highlighting the importance of joint working in expanding woodland cover.
This included 89,689 trees planted on National Forest estate, and a further 53,509 delivered through funded partnerships with landowners. An estimated 6,000 more trees were planted through planning agreements.
Recently, the National Forest collaborated with Small World Consulting to highlight the Forest’s growing contribution to tackling climate change.
The analysis shows that since the early stages of Forest creation in the 1990s, trees and woodlands across the area, both newly planted and pre-existing, have captured 730,000 tonnes of CO₂e.
That’s roughly equivalent to taking around 430,000 petrol cars off the road for a year.
‘These data provide robust evidence of the long-term environmental value of woodland creation.
‘The trees planted in the National Forest are not only enhancing habitats and improving landscapes, but they are also locking away carbon year on year, helping us to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.’
DR HEATHER GILBERT
Research and evidence manager at the National Forest
Much of this season’s programme was supported by Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund, which is helping to increase tree cover across England and support the UK’s Environment Act targets, improving the quality of our air and water, creating and restoring habitats and supporting biodiversity to thrive.
The Forest’s approach focuses on planting the right trees in the right places for the right reasons, typically a diverse mix of native broadleaf species, to create woodlands that are ecologically resilient, adaptable to climate change and beneficial to wildlife.
Tree planting also brings a range of community benefits, from improving wellbeing to creating more attractive and accessible landscapes.
Increasingly, farmers are integrating trees alongside crops or using them to diversify less productive land.
The National Forest is continuing to offer new grant schemes to support agroforestry and sustainable land use.
‘Every tree planted last season is a contribution to a greener, healthier future.
‘This is not just about growing trees, it’s about growing resilience, restoring nature and supporting people and places to thrive.
‘With fewer than 150,000 trees to go, we’re now calling on individuals, landowners and supporters to help us reach our ten millionth tree.
‘Whether through planting, volunteering or funding, everyone has a role to play in writing the next chapter of the Forest’s story.’
JOHN EVERITT OBE
Chief executive of the National Forest
Over 30 years, the National Forest has grown from a bold vision into one of the UK’s leading examples of large-scale environmental recovery, transforming a post-industrial landscape into a thriving forest where nature, people and enterprise grow together.
It covers 200 square miles of the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire, and has transformed a post-industrial Midlands landscape – scarred by coal mining and heavy industry – from black to green.
The Forest’s creation began in the early 1990s as a radical vision to bring the benefits of trees, woodland and multi-use forestry to lowland England, where thousands of people live and work.
The Forest provides a national demonstration of the value of the natural environment to drive regeneration and showcase policy and practice, research and development in the heart of the country.
It was the first broadleaf forest to be created at scale in England for more than 900 years and is now seen as one of the boldest environmentally led regeneration initiatives in the country.
Year by year, the National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest.
As the Forest nears this landmark moment, it stands as a powerful reminder that long-term, purposeful action can deliver meaningful change, for the biodiversity, economy and for future generations.
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