Planting of first national forest in decades starts

Safia Gilder-Hodgson said it had been "incredibly rewarding" to see boots on the ground at Pucklechurch Wood

The planting of what will become the UK's first new national forest for more than 30 years has begun.

The 30-hectare Pucklechurch Wood will be part of the UK's new Western Forest, stretching across Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

More than 22,000 native trees will be planted between now and March, followed by a further 22,000 the following winter, project organisers say.

"The trees are hopefully going to improve the environment for the wildlife and local people, take the carbon out of the air and reduce the chance of flooding," said Laura Norton, partnerships manager for the Forest of Avon Trust.

The first large-scale planting of trees for the project took place in Pucklechurch, near Bristol, on Friday to mark National Tree Week.

The woodland will be the largest ever to be built on council-owned land, according to South Gloucestershire Council (SGC).

"The people in Pucklechurch really pushed it forward," said SGC leader Maggie Tyrrell.

"It's going to be big enough for a much wider area to come and enjoy it," she added.

Council leader Maggie Tyrrell said she was "thrilled to bits" to see trees being planted

The project is a collaboration between Pucklechurch Parish Council, SGC, the West of England Combined Authority and Forest of Avon Trust.

"It's been a true partnership effort to bring the Western Forest to life", said Safia Gilder-Hodgson, partnerships manager for Western Forest.

"It's incredibly rewarding that just six months after we were successful in our bid to become England's new national forest, we have boots on the ground, planting the beginnings of it in Pucklechurch," she added.

The project is being supported by the government's Trees for Climate funding, and managed by councils and volunteers from the Friends of Pucklechurch Wood group.