Our Heartwood Community Forest programme offers one of the most competitive hassle-free grant schemes for tree planting. Each grant is entirely bespoke and based on your individual needs.
The forest is being created along the eastern fringe of Derbyshire and through southern Derbyshire, joining the National Forest and linking an existing network of 15 Community Forests, which are located in and around large towns and cities.
It won’t be a single ‘forest’, but a collection of trees, woodlands and hedgerows across Derbyshire.
The location of the forest includes many of the urban areas of Derbyshire, where 77% of the county’s 797,000 population live, and where better access to woodland is most needed.
It’s also an area rich in industrial mining heritage that has shaped the current landscape. The forest will continue to enhance the schemes of physical restoration that are already underway.
Advice and guidance, access to funding, and project support for landowners is available to farmers, businesses, councils and other landowners with space available to plant trees as part of the project.
Community forests offer high-quality environments for millions of people by creating green spaces, boosting biodiversity and improving access to nature. These in turn boost people's health and wellbeing. They also provide urban and economic regeneration and will be a great legacy for generations to come.
We'll be leading on the government funded scheme, in partnership with district and borough councils, Active Derbyshire, Foundation Derbyshire, The Institute of Quarrying, Nature After Minerals, University of Derby, landowners, businesses and local communities.
A list of communities within our community forest boundary can be found on our Heartwood boundary map page.