New partnership to deliver woodlands across Lancashire

Ribble Rivers Trust is happy to be announcing a partnership with Woodland Trust which will see new native woodlands created across Lancashire.

The exciting new partnership will support the Northern Forest ‘Grow Back Greener’ tree planting programme managed by the Woodland Trust, a programme that is possible thanks to the Nature for Climate Fund

The fund is part of plans to kick start the UK government’s 2021 pledge to create 30,000 hectares of trees per year across the UK by 2025 and establish at least 50 million trees across the Northern Forest by 2043.

This collaboration will also help the Woodland Trust to meet its own ambitious target to plant 50 million trees by 2025. Additionally, all the trees, and will contribute to the delivery of the Northern Forest.

Together they will plant an additional 20 hectares of new woodland in the Ribble catchment each year.

A bespoke woodland prioritisation mapping tool helps to identify potential woodland sites. This tool has been carefully crafted by Ribble Rivers Trust’s data and evidence team and brings together data on factors including; habitat quality, flood risk, land use, wildlife populations, topography, and any benefits or constraints. It then displays the information visually to show the areas that could see the greatest potential improvement.

Another significant part of this project development stage involves working with other partners in the area. For example, many areas of the catchment are amazing spaces for wading birds, which rely on wetlands and boggy areas.

By collaborating with partners such as the RSPB we can ensure that we preserve and protect these areas and create woodlands elsewhere: guaranteeing the right tree in the right place for the right reasons.

Our farm advisors will then work closely with landowners to agree the finer details of any potential woodland. Following this the woodland creation team will develop the plans further before our volunteers take over to plant the woodlands.

Looking to the future an extensive maintenance programme means that we can ensure the success of every woodland, giving it the best start and ensuring it succeeds in establishing itself within the landscape.

As an organisation with plenty of tree planting experience, Ribble Rivers Trust is proud to work alongside partners like the Woodland Trust to ensure that new woodlands improve habitat connectivity and provide benefits to ecosystems and society, including natural flood risk management, carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

Learn how you can get involved at ribbletrust.org.uk. Or visit the Woodland Trust and Northern Forest websites for further information.