Humber Forest has planted a record 368,000 trees over the 2024-25 planting season, a 35% rise compared to last year.
They also planted 35 miles (56km) of hedgerows, the equivalent distance from Flamborough to Withernsea.
Humber Forest work with farmers, landowners, businesses and communities, and provide grants to cover up to 100% of funding for planting and associated costs, as well as for at least five years of establishment. Larger sites may be eligible for 15 years of establishment and ecosystem service payments.
These trees can play a vital role in creating habitats for wildlife, improving community spaces, reducing soil erosion and flooding, and improving air quality.
Humber Forest is supported by Defra, as the community forest for Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. It is one of 15 community forests across England and is 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.
One project which has benefited from Humber Forest funding, has been a new woodland in mid Holderness, planted by a local landowner in memory of his mum Sheila. ‘Sheila’s Planting’ includes 12,235 trees, and improves the land for wildlife and helps combat climate change.
Additionally, at Oak Road Playing Fields in Hull, a flood prone urban area, has had over 700 trees planted by the Humber Forest. Local residents planted the trees, which will help alleviate flooding, create areas of shade in the summer for those using the playing fields, as well as provide habitats for a wide range of species.
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, East Riding of Yorkshire Council cabinet member for environment and transport said “We’re proud to support communities to improve their local environments, including through tree plantings. We highly encourage more landowners to find out more and get involved with the Humber Forest project.”
The Humber Forest team will also be present at events across the summer, including at the Great Yorkshire Show, Driffield Show, Crowle Show and Winterton Show, where landowners can learn more about how they can be involved.
The Humber Forest funds both 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, supported by Defra and provide landowners with grants to cover up to 100% of all woodland creation project costs.
