The government said new western forests will be created in the western part of England from Cotswolds to Mendips.
One of the government's promised national forests, the project will create a 2,500 hectares (6,200 acres) of forest in 2030 in five priority areas until 2030, and plans to plant 20m of trees by 2050.
The government said the announcement is the first step towards meeting the Manifesto's commitment, bringing trees and forests closer to people in cities and towns like Bristol, Gloucester and Swindon.
The scheme, the first new national forest of 30 years, continues from the establishment of a national forest in the Midlands, aims to increase wildlife, mitigate the climate crisis and increase forest areas and tree cover to provide people with access to nature.
Almost three-quarters of the planned forest area are farmland, and the western forest aims to integrate trees into the agricultural landscape through agroforestry and farm forest areas.
The project will also work to revitalize existing forest areas and other important natural habitats, officials from the Department of Environment and Environment (DEFRA) said. In addition to the 2,500 hectares of new forest, there are plans to introduce more 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) into sustainable management by 2030.
The Western Forest will spearhead the Avon Forest, one of England's community forests, and will support government funding of up to £7.5 million over five years, Defra said. This money will help create new forests connecting established forests, create mixed habitats and help plant communities in places where trees can contribute to reducing flooding and slowing down the flow of storm water.
Nature Minister Mary Krieg said, “We will plant 20m trees in the western forest to bring nature closer to people, prevent flooding and support wildlife.”
Alex Stone, CEO of Avon Trust's Forest, said the project will enhance the landscape and improve livelihoods for the area's 2.5 million residents and visitors to the area.
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She added: “Western forests enhance urban and rural landscapes, connect and improve, support local investment, create employment and skill opportunities, and provide endless benefits by planting and caring for trees.”
“The National Forests are a great opportunity to see the world,” said John Everitt, CEO of National Forests. “This initiative is based on the success of Midland national forests where planting over 9.8 million trees will change the landscape and benefit wildlife, communities and the economy.”
