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Continued momentum for woodland creation?
Can the ‘Great Northumberland Forest’ deliver new woodland creation at scale in the far north of England? David Lee reports.
The Great Northumberland Forest was announced with fanfare by the Conservative Party as part of its election manifesto in late 2019.
Two years on, what is happening on the ground to plant more trees in the county which has both England’s largest forest, Kielder, and its biggest modern forest, Doddington North?
It’s a complex picture, and Confor and its members are working to ensure woodland creation remains a high priority in an area with strong potential for planting.
The three key areas are:
• The Northumberland Woodland
Creation Partnership (NWCP) • The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal • The Cumbrian and North England
Timber Transport Groups
Northumberland Woodland Creation Partnership
The NWCP is the body set up to make The Great Northumberland Forest (GNF) happen.
The GNF isn’t a big forest, like Kielder, but an attempt to create more woodland across the county to help tackle big challenges including climate change and biodiversity decline and to support a thriving economy.
The initial ‘headline’, 500 hectares of new woodland, or around 1 million trees, by 2024, aims to generate momentum for more longer-term planting.
Rushy Knowe, close to Kielder Water, has seen 200,000 trees planted, a mixture of 12 broadleaf and niner conifer species, on a 145-hectare Forestry England site. At Monkridge, near West Woodburn, Forestry England plans a similarly diverse new woodland over 100 hectares. Planting is expected to take place over the next two seasons
The NWCP is also exploring opportunities for woodland creation with the Ministry of Defence, which has significant land around Otterburn.
The ‘balance’ of planting to make up the initial 500ha is expected to come from the private sector, with positive signs of an uplift in applications.
NWCP Programme Manager Mark Child is a former Beat Forester at Kielder, and recently, Forestry England’s Head of Integrated Planning and Environment (North). He started work with the NWCP, a fiveyear programme, in June.
Mr Child said: “There is good working collaboration between partners and wider stakeholders, and a willingness to discuss and find solutions where there are sensitivities.
“The 500-hecatre target is a startingpoint and I’m confident we’ll go beyond that and deliver more woodland creation in the county to benefit the environment, economy and people.”
Mapping expert Abi Mansley is working with Mr Child, while there are plans to recruit more staff to lead on communication and landowner/manager engagement.
Confor is in the Partnership, alongside the local authority, forestry agencies, MoD, Defra, Natural England, Environment Agency, Northumberland National Park, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Woodland Trust, National Farmers’ Union and CLA.
Stuart Goodall, Confor CEO, said: “It’s positive to see the Partnership employing people who understand forestry and bringing all interest groups together to identify places to plant in Northumberland. Confor has large wood processor members like EGGER and A&J Scott in the county who need assured future supplies of locally-sourced, quality timber.”
EGGER hosted a July meeting of forestry stakeholders, including Hexham MP
