Tree planting charity to help make national forest

A tree-planting charity has been chosen to help develop one of England's new national forests.

The Forest of Marston Vale Trust, near Stewartby, has already increased the tree coverage in a 158-sq-km (61-sq-mile) area of Bedfordshire from 3.6% to 16.9% since 1991.

Now the charity will work with the government and the National Forest Company to develop plans for a new national forest, which will cover between 50 and 150 sq km (193 and 579 sq miles), within the Oxford-Cambridge corridor.

The trust's forest director James Russell said: "We look forward to working with Defra and the National Forest Company over the coming months to bring this exciting new endeavour to life."

Over the last three decades, the charity has planted 2.75 million trees and shrubs as part of its work to create the Forest of Marston Vale.

Its Forest Plan sets out a target of reaching 30% tree cover in the Marston Vale area by 2050.

Central Bedfordshire Council leader Adam Zerny said: "The trust has an exceptional track record, having transformed one of England's most challenging post-industrial landscapes into an environmental success story."

The government has pledged to create three new national forests, with the first to be located in the west of England.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the second forest would be within the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor.

A third forest will be created in the Midlands or the north of England.

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