Humber Forest plants a quarter of a million trees to support communities and the local environment

Humber Forest has planted a record number of trees in the last twelve months, with 238,000 trees planted across Hull, East Yorkshire, and North Lincolnshire. Since the project began, three years ago, 400,000 trees have been planted across the region.

Humber Forest, supported by Defra, is the community forest for Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, one of 15 community forests across England and part of the larger Northern Forest that stretches from Liverpool to the Yorkshire Coast. East Riding of Yorkshire Council is the accountable body for the Humber Forest.

The project provides grants to cover up to 100% funding for planting as well as at least five years maintenance for farmers, landowners, businesses, and communities to plant hedgerows or trees on their land.

These trees can play a vital role in reducing soil erosion and flooding, improving air quality, creating habitats for wildlife, and improving community spaces.

In North Frodingham, East Yorkshire, Humber Forest supported local farmer Rob Meadley to plant two hectares of trees in memory of his father, Phil. The trees have been planted on areas that were tricky to farm and had problems with drainage; the woodlands will help slow the flow of water during heavy rain periods as well as create spaces for wildlife.

Rob Meadley said “The project was aimed at increasing the biodiversity and connectivity across the farm and will be a lasting legacy for my father.”

Most trees are planted by Humber Forest delivery partners with the support of volunteers, including local residents who planted 576 trees alongside Dent Road in Cottingham. The Dent Road project was aimed at enhancing the local area, providing a local community woodland for residents, while enhancing the area for wildlife.

The majority of tree saplings for Humber Forest plantings are also grown at Mires Beck Nursery in North Cave, an East Yorkshire charity that supports adults with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and Autism.

Councillor Paul West, cabinet member for environment and transport said “This is a fantastic initiative, it’s great to see the numerous benefits that these trees can produce, from biodiversity to local community enhancement. Many thanks to the landowners and volunteers involved in growing the Humber Forest, and we encourage those who would like to be involved in future plantings to contact the Humber Forest team.”

The Humber Forest team can fund large and small projects and are eager to hear from any landowners who are interested in planting trees or hedgerow on their land. They can be contacted at humber.forest@eastriding.gov.uk or visit www.humberforest.org

Tree and hedgerow planting in the Humber Forest is supported with funding from the Trees for Climate and Northern Forest Grow Back Greener funds, which are part of the Defra Nature for Climate Fund and provide landowners with grants to cover up to 100% of all woodland creation project costs.

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Notes to Editors

• Humber Forest is the community forest for Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire and is one of 15 community forests in England.
• The three neighbouring authorities of Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and North Lincolnshire Council work together in partnership through Humber Forest.

England’s Community Forests

• Humber Forest is one of a network of 15 across the country. Together, the work of England’s Community Forests represents the largest environmental regeneration programme in the country.
• For over thirty years, England’s Community Forests have been working with communities, landowners, and businesses to transform the landscapes and communities in and around our largest towns and cities.
• Through innovation and a long-term commitment to the areas in which they work, the 15 Community Forests are working to ensure that trees and woodlands are at the very heart of our urban landscapes.
• Find out more at: www.englandscommunityforests.org.uk

About Trees for Climate and Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund  

Trees for Climate is a woodland creation programme managed by England’s Community Forests and is funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs through the Nature for Climate Fund.

About the Northern Forest

The Northern Forest has already established nearly 8 million new trees since 2018 and is transforming the landscape from coast to coast and in and around cities such as Liverpool, Chester, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, York and Hull. A partnership between The Woodland Trust, the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK, and Community Forests: City of Trees (Greater Manchester), Mersey Forest, Humber Forest and White Rose Forest, and the Community Forest Trust, is delivering this ambitious project. The partnership is connecting people with nature through the Northern Forest, creating growth and investment opportunities, reducing climate change and flood risk, improving health and wellbeing, supporting the rural economy, and developing innovative funding mechanisms for the future.

Find out more at thenorthernforest.org.uk