50,000 new trees to be planted in Newthorpe under forest expansion plans

Nottinghamshire’s Greenwood Community Forest – one of 13 community forests across England – will benefit from the expansion after the new land was acquired from a private owner.

The additional green space in Newthorpe, near Brinsley Headstocks nature reserve, will be used to plant 50,000 new trees, resulting in the community forest gaining a further 39 hectares of woodland.

Greenwood Community Forest, which is hosted and supported by Nottinghamshire County Council, was created in 1991, covering large swathes of West Nottinghamshire, including Sherwood Forest, and green spaces in Mansfield, Eastwood, Nottingham and Attenborough.

Planting at the Newthorpe site will commence in the autumn of 2022 as part of the national Trees for Climate programme with funding provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The new trees will also contribute to the Queen’s Green Canopy – a unique initiative to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. It asks villages, cities, and counties to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.’

Councillor Mike Adams, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Environment Ambassador, has welcomed the new land into Greenwood Community Forest, describing it as a ‘win’ for the Trees for Climate programme.

He said: “This acquisition is a win for our local Trees for Climate programme in Nottinghamshire, and I’m excited for planting to commence later in the year.

“Our plan to plant 50,000 new trees on the Newthorpe site will significantly contribute to our more comprehensive Trees for Climate programme in Nottinghamshire. We will create 250 hectares of newly planted woodlands across our county by 2025.

“With the addition of this green space, Greenwood Community Forest is the first community forest to have acquired land under Trees for Climate – so Nottinghamshire has achieved something on a national scale too.

“I’m also delighted that our tree-planting efforts will contribute to the wonderful Queen’s Green Canopy initiative to honour Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.

“We’ve already held a ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee event’ at Bestwood Country Park – It was a fantastic fun-filled event featuring more than 100 volunteers.”

Councillor Tom Smith, the county council’s Greenwood Community Forest Champion, has also welcomed the investment in Greenwood Community Forest, describing it as ‘great news.’

He said: “I think it is great news that we’ve been able to secure this additional land and increase the size of this wonderful community asset that people enjoy across Nottinghamshire daily.

“As well as being used for our ambitious tree-planting plans, the expansion of our community forest will bring numerous other benefits, including creating new areas of habitat for wildlife and flower-rich grasslands, ponds and other habitats.

“We’ll also be increasing access to the countryside through the public ownership of this land for families, friends and community groups to use and cherish.

“There will be opportunities for local people to get involved in the creation and ongoing management of the new woodland we plan to plant, and we’ll have more news on what will be on offer later in the year.”