Minutes

7        HUMBER FOREST – The Director: Economy and Environment submitted a report seeking approval for the council to join the Humber Forest.

The Northern Forest was the government’s 25-year vision to plant 50 million trees across the North of England, stretching from Liverpool to Hull.  This was set out in the 25-year Environment Plan:

·       £5.7 million of government funding;

·       Delivered through the Community Forests and the Woodland Trust;

·       Involving landowners, farmers and key forestry stakeholders;

·       Balancing the various environmental, social and economic benefits of     forestry, including for agroforestry and bio-energy production purposes.

Humber Forest was the Community Forest covering Hull and East Riding.  It was previously known as HEYWoods.  The three members of staff helped communities, farmers, landowners, and businesses to plant trees in the easiest and most effective way possible, at no cost.  With backing from councils, government organisations and charities, they provided free advice and guidance, access to funding and investment and project support.  They currently provided two grants that were open to all and covered projects such as:

·       Urban and parkland tree planting

·       Tree shelter belts, hedgerows and shrub belts

·       Arable field and pastoral woodland planting

·       Private and public woodlands

Both grants covered large and small projects and all agreed costs of tree planting, hedgerow creation, and maintenance for up to five years.  They could also include support for tree protection, fences, gates and more.  The Trees for Climate funding was from Defra, and open to all 13 community forests for planting in rural and urban areas.  The Northern Forest funding was an agreement between Defra and the Woodland Trust and open only to urban planting within the four community forests of the Northern Forest.

The core work area for Humber Forest was Hull and East Riding.  North Lincolnshire lay in the “Halo” area, where Northern Forest projects were encouraged, but where it was not so easy to access the main funding streams.  In 2020/21, HEYWoods funded some large Northern Forest and Trees for Climate projects in North Lincolnshire, but this was not likely to be possible in the future, unless the council formally joined the partnership.

Resolved – That the proposal for North Lincolnshire Council to formally join the Humber Forest be approved.