Future of British forests rests in new seed bank

The centre is near Delamere Forest in Cheshire

The UK's largest and most advanced seed centre has opened in Cheshire.

The store near Delamere Forest will process four tonnes of seeds every year, which Forestry England said was enough to grow millions of trees for decades to come.

It added the centre was "a significant milestone in protecting the future resilience of our forests".

Forestry Minister Mary Creagh said the building was "nationally significant" because it was "part of our climate resilience".

Creagh added: "This is also really important for our economy.

"We are the largest wood importer in the world, and in a climate-constrained future we are going to have to grow more of our own."

Tristram Hilborn says the seed centre will protect future forests

The centre, funded through the Nature for Climate Fund and Forestry England, aims to provide seeds to grow climate-adapted trees.

"The forest science we are doing here is really important in making sue we have a tree-resilient future for the nation," Creagh added.

Tristram Hilborn, chief operating officer of Forestry England, said: "If you think about some of the things that are affecting our forests, like the climate crisis, pests and disease, we need to ensure we are protecting our future.

"What we need to consider for 100 a years' time is the sort of trees that will thrive in that sort of climate."

He said that might mean growing trees from seeds that grow now in different climates to the UK's current one.