Western Forest is the new national forest!

The Western Forest is the UK’s first new national forest in 30 years. Where heritage meets innovation the Western Forest will create greener, more connected landscape that benefits nature, people, and the economy. By 2030 at least 2,500 hectares of trees and woodland will be created by 2030.

If we want to bring nature back into our landscapes in a meaningful and lasting way, we must think big, and we must work together. Western Forest is where will create a unified landscape through bold ambition and strong partnerships, delivering large-scale woodland creation and restoration across urban centres and rural communities. The Western Forest will be delivering a wide range of environmental, economic, health and wellbeing benefits for nature, climate, local and wider communities.

Are you a landowner in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire or the West of England? Interested in planting trees on your land or need woodland management support? Submit your enquiry using the form below, or read on to find out more about our vision and Western Forest priority areas.

Our Focus

• Connected Landscape: Connecting woodlands, agriculture, and people to create a unified new landscape across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and the West of England delivering across borders to deliver sustainable woodland creation at scale.
• Innovation: A testbed for integrating trees into farms. With 75% of the land as productive lowland, the region offers a unique opportunity to pilot and scale agroforestry nationwide.
• Partnership: It’s a model for partnership, proving that collaboration across sectors and boundaries can deliver real impact.
• Heritage-Inspired: Where heritage meets innovation – Western Forest will bridge nature recovery and regional growth together. Inspired by England’s Royal Forests, the Western Forest reimagines landscapes for the 21st century, creating a legacy for future generations.
• Multifunctionality of Trees: Harnessing the multifunctionality of trees to deliver flood mitigation, enhance health and wellbeing through community engagement and improved access, strengthen climate and business resilience in agriculture, and support a thriving green economy through job creation, skills development, and inclusive recreational opportunities.

Vision

A connected landscape transformed by trees, inspired by its heritage and designed for a resilient future. The Western Forest is the new national forest connecting woodlands, agriculture, and people to create a unified landscape with trees at its heart.

Credit: First Avenue Photography

Priority Areas 

Over the first five years, the Western Forest will focus activity across five priority areas. These priority areas identify the greatest opportunities and benefits for nature and people, working with our regional partners and land managers to deliver increased trees and woodlands.

Trees on Farms  

In its rural areas, the forest will work with farmers in a predominately agricultural landscape to demonstrate how  integrating trees into farm businesses can deliver multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits, without compromising food production.     

Trees on farms can increase total farm yield whilst building climate resilience into the farm and its surroundings by mitigating flood risk and the effects of drought, reducing soil erosion and improving soil health, sequestering carbon and building climate resilience and business diversity.   

Credit: First Avenue Photography

People and Nature

Residents and visitors are key to the success of the Western Forest. 2.5 million people call this area of England home, and extensive travel links bring people from all over the country and beyond to enjoy our natural assets.  

Our people and nature programme will include cutting-edge communications, new collaborations between stakeholders and landowners, and innovative pilot programmes around volunteering, health, education and access. Activity will be led by The Natural History Consortium.

Credit: Alex Carl Turner

Partners  

Image features: Tony Ballance, Chair National Forest Company; John Everitt, CEO National Forest Company, Mary Creagh, Minister for Nature; Steve Reed, Secretary of State; Alex Stone, Forest of Avon

The Western Forest will be spearheaded by the Forest of Avon, one of England’s Community Forests, supported by government funding and with expertise from the National Forest Company. It is the result of a successful regional partnership bid led by the Forest of Avon with support from the Natural History Consortium, the region’s councils and Great Western Community Forest, with more than 40 organisations lending their support including the West of England Combined Authority.  Defra is funding the Western Forest supported by the National Forest Company.