More than two million trees have now been planted for the Forest for Cornwall as the project receives a government cash injection to increase tree-planting across the region over the next four years.
The Cornwall Council programme has secured £8.76m from Defra’s Trees Programme.
It will help the Forest for Cornwall reach its target of 8,000 hectares of new tree canopy by 2035 as set out in the authority’s Grow Nature Action Plan.
Since 2019, residents, farmers, businesses and organisations have come together to make a real difference to tree-planting efforts in communities, farms, schools and streets across Cornwall.
A total of 2,025 hectares have been transformed including:
825 hectares of new woodland
167 new orchards
495 hectares of agroforestry across 121 farms
1,259 trees in streets and urban locations
82,665 metres of new hedgerow
The Forest for Cornwall contributes to the delivery of both the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Nature Recovery Strategy and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Marine Nature Recovery Framework.
It has received previous funding from Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund to support tree-planting in Cornwall.
Cllr Loic Rich, Cornwall’s cabinet member for environment and climate change, said:
“I want to thank you one and all for helping contribute to the Forest for Cornwall. This funding is a national endorsement of our accessible and flexible approach to supporting and financing tree-planting to benefit residents, businesses and farmers.
“For residents the Forest for Cornwall enhances our local landscape, towns and villages, bringing the beauty and benefits of trees to our doorsteps to improve our health and happiness, providing much-needed shade during this prolonged period of heat. For farmers it is helping them increase farm resilience and for many local businesses it is contributing to our nature-based economy.
“Trees, hedgerows and woodland also bring benefits for nature by providing homes for birds, mammals and insects, helping keep our rivers and streams clean and cool, reducing run-off, and improving the health of our soils. More tree cover can also bring wider benefits through helping to reduce flooding in coastal towns and building resilience to a changing climate.”
The Forest for Cornwall programme offers support and funding to farmers to diversify their production with tree-planting.
Ben Thomas who owns Treveddoe Farm near Cardinham has planted 2,500 trees with support from the Forest for Cornwall team.
He said: "Without the knowledge, contacts and funding it would have been hard to find the time to get the project started. In the end we have ended up with a brilliant agroforestry network on the farm which is already delivering. And it is engaging lots of farmers also."
The Kehelland Trust in Camborne has received support from the Forest for Cornwall to set up a community tree nursery. It means young people and adults with learning and/or physical disabilities can take part in collecting and sowing seeds as well as establishing native trees and orchard.
Horticultural coordinator Sally Pyner said: “We could not have done this without the funding from Forest for Cornwall. It’s meant that on site we can focus on our learner experience and at the same time we’ve got a lovely product we can share with the wider community.”
Find out more about the Forest for Cornwall
Notes to editors:
Defra Trees Programme
• The new Defra Trees Programme commenced in April 2026, following the completion of the Nature for Climate Fund (NCF) Programme.
• The Defra Trees Programme is building on the successes and learnings from the Nature for Climate Fund (NCF) Programme to deliver the large-scale transformational change needed to reach our targets.
• Continuing to fund tree planting across England, through the network of England’s Community Forests, National Forest Company, Cornwall Council, and Forestry Commission grants. Delivering improvements to grant schemes responding to feedback from the previous Programme.
• The programme is designed to help England reach the statutory target of 16.5% canopy and woodland cover by 2050, and the 2030 interim target.
