Western Forest
Programme summary
The Western Forest is a once in a generation programme focused on innovation, nature recovery, climate resilience and community engagement. It will be spearheaded by the Forest of Avon, one of England’s Community Forests, supported by up to £7.5 million of government funding over five years.
By 2030, we aim to create at least 2,500 hectares of woodland and tree habitats across five priority areas, playing a key role in helping England achieve its goal of 16.5% canopy cover by 2050. This programme has a bold vision of a greener, more connected landscape that will benefit the economy, nature and both rural and urban communities.
Going beyond tree planting, the Western Forest sets a new benchmark for woodland creation and restoration, focusing on areas with the highest potential for nature recovery. It will reconnect fragmented woodlands and restore mosaic habitats that celebrate the rich diversity of our landscape.
In 2024, the West of England became the first region to publish a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Now, the Western Forest will build on this momentum connecting the River Avon catchment to the Cotswolds and Mendip Hills National Landscapes, creating a vast woodland network spanning Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and the West of England.
Through the People and Nature programme, the Western Forest will engage both rural and urban communities,ensuring that the benefits of this initiative are felt by all. Transformational pilot programmes in volunteering, health, education, and access will be delivered alongside cutting-edge communications and new collaborations between stakeholders and landowners.
As the majority of land for the Western Forest is used for agriculture, there is a ground-breaking opportunity to demonstrate how trees can be integrated into farmed landscapes and provide environmental, societal, and economic benefits without impeding food production. Alongside supporting the Government’s Land Use Framework, this will give farmers and landowners new opportunities for soil regeneration and improved resilience to flooding and droughts.
Designed for scalability, the Western Forest model can be replicated across the UK to meet the nation's net-zero and nature recovery targets.
The Programme will:
- Create 2,500 hectares of woodland and other tree habitats by 2030
- Plant 20 million trees by 2050
- Connect land managers with funding, skills and knowledge to drive climate and business resilience
- Connect rural and urban population to our rich natural history to inspire an inclusive forest to live in and visit
- Connect young people to shape the vision for the Western Forest
- Connect industry and business to the Western Forest to continue growth and national net-zero ambitions
Programme area
The Western Forest will span the entirety of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, the Forest of Avon (West of England), and the Great Western Community Forest (Swindon Borough), supporting the 2.5 million people who call this area home.
The Western Forest network will connect the bustling urban centres like Bristol, Bath, and Swindon, alongside many rapidly growing towns. In addition to these urban hotspots, the region boasts a rich rural landscape,with over 73% of the land in the programme area dedicated to agriculture. The forest will work with farmers to show how integrating trees into farmland and farmed woodlands can provide environmental, economic, and social benefits, while maintaining food production.
The varied landscapes in the region require tailored approaches and innovative solutions to increase forest canopy cover across both rural and urban areas, advancing nature recovery at scale. Alongside enhancing the agricultural landscape for farmers, the forest will enable the creation of publicly accessible green spaces and mitigate flood risks in new communities.
The Forest of Avon Plan has been instrumental in guiding the identification of key priority areas (1, 4 & 5), with mapping from the West of England Local Nature Recovery Strategy and other nature recovery plans helping to pinpoint where we can have the greatest impact for nature recovery.These priority areas, ranging from the rolling hills of the Cotswold National Landscape and the Mendips to the vibrant hotspots of Bristol and Gloucester, represent the greatest opportunities for both nature and people.
By collaborating with all three of the region’s evolving local nature recovery strategies, the Western Forest will bring a collaborative approach to nature recovery, working with landowners, businesses and local communities to make it happen.
The Forest of Avon is thrilled to have led a wonderfully diverse and engaged partnership to bring the Western Forest to life. This is about resource, funding and expertise coming directly to landowners, partners and communities, planting millions of trees in the right places. Together, we will enhance landscapes for all to enjoy, improving the lives of our 2.5 million residents and visitors to the region.
Alex Stone, CEO, Forest of Avon Trust
Key measures
Tree and woodland creation
We aim to create semi-natural broadleaved woodlands, either by planting native trees or allowing natural regeneration. Wood pastures and parklands will be established by integrating grazing alongside trees and in scrub areas, creating the diverse habitat mosaics that help nature thrive again. We also aim to restore forestry plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) back to native woodland over time.
Woodland restoration and management
Management practices for existing woodlands will focus on promoting the survival of mature trees, enhancing deadwood habitats, and encouraging traditional practices like coppicing, with deer grazing controlled using fencing. We will continue to monitor and adapt to the spread of ash dieback The use of firebreaks will be explored to protect woodlands from the growing threat of wildfires, thereby increasing the climate resilience of the region.
Farmer and landowner engagement
We will work closely with farmers and landowners to integrate agroforestry and sustainable woodland management into farming systems. Financial incentives will be provided through Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) as well as private investment, with the aim to encourage practices that support both biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
Climate Resilience
Through landscape-scale woodland creation, the Western Forest will enhance the region’s climate resilience, reducing carbon emissions, mitigating flood risks, and enhancing the natural resilience of the region. Achieving the planting of 20 million trees by 2050 will mean that they could absorb approximately 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. The ecosystem services generated by the Western Forest will also deliver water catchment improvement and resilience aligned with the Bristol Avon Catchment Plan and other catchment plans across the region.
Community Engagement
We will engage communities, and in particular young people, offering opportunities for green skills development and fostering a deeper connection between people and nature. Community engagement will focus on access, education and health, with an emphasis on long-term connection to nature and people being an active part of tree planting and woodland restoration.
Guidance
Design codes and ‘how to’ guidance will be developed to support the efficient and appropriate delivery of new woodland and associated habitats through the planning process in a way that delivers multiple benefits (providing green space; local food growing; nature based solutions; Biodiversity Net Gain requirements among other things).
Spotlight on species
By expanding and connecting broadleaved woodlands, improving long-term woodland management and protecting mature woodland structures, we are able to support many vulnerable and iconic woodland species, rare plants, invertebrates, and fungi like these:
The Hazel Dormouse relies onwoodlands with dense undergrowth for nesting and foraging. Restoring woodland habitats with a rich variety of vegetation layers will enhance habitat quality for dormice, ensuring their fragmented populations can grow and thrive again.
The Pine Marten, recently reintroduced to the nearby Forest of Dean, is already present in the Western Forest area in Gloucestershire and moving towards the West of England (see Returning Species). These charismatic yet elusive animals thrive in woodlands with dense understory and ample deadwood, which supports their foraging and denning needs. Enhancing habitat connectivity will allow the natural spread of Pine Marten and establish resilient populations across the southwest.
Bechstein’s Bat is one of the UK’s rarest bats, found almost exclusively in woodland habitat located in parts of southern England and south east Wales, and small numbers have been recorded hibernating in abandoned mines within the west of England. Bechstein’s bats are heavily dependent on inter-connected woodlands. Pregnant females form small maternity colonies which move between collections of woodland roosts. Both sexes rely on woodland trees for hibernating through the winter, tucking themselves away in sheltered spots such as empty woodpecker holes. The destruction of ancient mature forests along with intensive woodland management practices has led to a decline in Bechstein’s bat numbers.
Woodland fungi, including Satan's Bolete, Solitary Amanita, and Tiered Tooth Fungus, also rely on mature woodlands, particularly limestone woodlands, where they thrive in undisturbed soil conditions. Protecting these areas and supporting sustainable management will allow these fungi to continue playing a vital role in nutrient cycling and underpinning the wider ecosystem.
Why is this a WENP priority?
The West of England region currently has low woodland cover (around 8%, compared to 10% national average), with some areas even lower. Given that the region is also home to vulnerable and rare woodland priority species, like Bechstein’s bat and dormouse, expansion, restoration and connection of our woodlands is essential.
The region is experiencing significant canopy loss due to ash dieback, which has affected 16% of trees, and this is further exacerbated by poor woodland management, with more than half of the existing woodlands under-managed.
Air pollution, heat effects, and flood risks are also exacerbated by a lack of green infrastructure.
Our Western Forest programme can help mitigate these impacts by increasing tree cover and connecting vital woodland habitat to build a resilient forest network spanning three regions.
Delivery readiness
We will ensure that there is sufficient capacity to deliver projects by engaging skilled tree suppliers, contractors, and landowners. Building a robust five-year pipeline of initiatives will help maintain momentum and long-term confidence in delivery capacity.
We will continue to strengthen our partnerships and collaborations across the region. Farm clusters, local councils, and many other stakeholders and communities will be key to delivering the Western Forest’s ambitious targets for tree planting and woodland creation at scale across multiple counties.
We will be coordinating with a range of important initiatives already underway in the region:
The Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Plan provides a framework for increasing tree cover and managing our woodlands for future resilience.
The Forest of Avon Plan identifies key areas where new woodlands will have the greatest impact on biodiversity and climate resilience.
The Great Western Community Forest initiative, based in Swindon, has planted over 50,000 trees in the past five years. By improving public access to nature and creating long-term carbon sinks, it plays a crucial role in the broader Western Forest initiative, contributing significantly to large-scale tree planting efforts.
Case Study:
Landscape Recovery in the Lower Chew Valley
This exciting new Defra funded project, led by Avon Needs Trees, is establishing a large, connected woodland of 100,000 trees across 640 hectares in the Lower Chew Valley, thereby enhancing biodiversity and supporting climate resilience across the whole area.
The work will integrate tree planting with natural regeneration, whilst creating complementary habitats such as wetlands, hedgerows, and species-rich grasslands.
It will also provide natural flood management through riparian planting and leaky dams, reducing flood risk downstream in Bristol and Keynsham.
Our call for support
The Western Forest will be supported by up to £7.5 million Government funding over 5 years.
Our call for support now is for new and existing partners to join us on the delivery journey. We especially want to support landowners to sell some of the environmental services provided by the Western Forest through high integrity carbon and nature markets, using world-leading mechanisms we already have in the West of England such as the Bristol Avon Catchment Market.
In developing our plan, we have begun to build new partnerships and strengthen existing ones across the regional boundaries of the West of England, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
Whether you are a landowner, a potential delivery partner, corporate sponsor, or something else, the Western Forest is designed to benefit everyone, so please get in touch today to learn how you can support us.
Lead contact: Safia Gilder-Hodgson, Forest of Avon Trust
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