MORE than two-million trees have now been planted for the Forest for Cornwall as the project receives a government cash injection to increase tree-planting across the region over the next four years.

The Cornwall Council programme has secured £8.76-million from Defra’s Trees Programme. This will help the Forest for Cornwall reach its target of 8,000 hectares (ha) of new tree canopy by 2035 as set out in the authority’s Grow Nature Action Plan.

Residents, farmers, businesses and organisations across Cornwall have come together since 2019 to make a difference to tree-planting efforts in communities, farms, schools and streets.

A total of 2,025 hectares have been transformed, including 825ha of new woodland, 167 new orchards, 495ha of agroforestry across 121 farms, 1,259 trees in streets and urban locations and 82,665m of new hedgerow.

The Forest for Cornwall contributes to the delivery of both the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Nature Recovery Strategy and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework. It has received previous funding from Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund to support tree-planting in Cornwall.

Cllr Loic Rich, Cornwall’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, said:

“This funding is a national endorsement of our accessible and flexible approach to supporting and financing tree-planting to benefit residents, businesses and farmers.

“For residents, the Forest for Cornwall enhances our local landscape, towns and villages, bringing the beauty and benefits of trees to our doorsteps to improve our health and happiness, providing much-needed shade during this prolonged period of heat. For farmers, it is helping them increase farm resilience, and for many local businesses it is contributing to our nature-based economy.

“Trees, hedgerows and woodland also bring benefits for nature by providing homes for birds, mammals and insects, helping keep our rivers and streams clean and cool, reducing run-off, and improving the health of our soils. More tree cover can also bring wider benefits through helping to reduce flooding in coastal towns and building resilience to a changing climate.”

The Forest for Cornwall programme offers support and funding to farmers to diversify their production with tree-planting. Ben Thomas, who owns Treveddoe Farm near Cardinham, has planted 2,500 trees with support from the Forest for Cornwall team.

“Without the knowledge, contacts and funding, it would have been hard to find the time to get the project started,” he said. “We have ended up with a brilliant agroforestry network on the farm which is already delivering, and is also engaging lots of farmers.”

The Kehelland Trust in Camborne has received support from the Forest for Cornwall to set up a community tree nursery. Young people and adults with learning and/or physical disabilities can take part in collecting and sowing seeds as well as establishing native trees and orchard.

Horticultural coordinator Sally Pyner said: “We couldn’t have done this without funding from Forest for Cornwall. It’s meant that on site we can focus on our learner experience, and at the same time we’ve got a lovely product we can share with the wider community.”