A former golf course in Frodsham is set to be transformed by the Woodland Trust into a haven for wildlife and a place for people to visit.
The conservation charity says the site will provide vital green space, as well as being a beacon for combating climate change.
Over the next 50 years, the former golf course will be developed into a native broadleaf woodland – and all the trees planted there will help expand both the current Mersey Forest and the new Northern Forest (which will stretch from Liverpool to the Yorkshire coast).
Woodland Trust site manager Neil Oxley said: “This is a really exciting new site for the Woodland Trust, close to urban areas and providing a vital area for wildlife and recreation.
“Cheshire as a whole is low in tree cover so this new woodland will provide vital tree cover and help us tackle the twin threats of climate change and biodiversity loss.”
Tree cover is as as little as 6-7% in Merseyside and Cheshire, compared with the national average of 13%.
The new woodland – on the outskirts of Frodsham – brings an opportunity to connect existing Woodland Trust sites at Snidley Moor, Woodhouse Hill and Frodsham Hill Woods with other areas of adjoining woodland.
Tim Oliver, from The Mersey Forest, said: “We’re pleased to be working alongside the Woodland Trust to help create new native woodland in this area.
“Creating more woodlands in and around our communities helps to connect people with nature, improves people’s health and wellbeing as well as providing habitat for local wildlife to thrive.”
The site will provide habitats for wildlife, giving access to nature for local communities and locking away carbon.
The new woodland will also help protect the existing ancient semi-natural and secondary woodlands nearby.
It will have a varied and diverse woodland structure interspersed with grassy paths and open glades.
There will be a network of footpaths for public access – with views of the Sandstone Ridge, River Mersey, Liverpool and the Welsh Hills.
The site will also be available to deliver community engagement and education through volunteering and space for outdoor learning.
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The Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK.
It has over 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife.
The Trust has three key aims:
– protect ancient woodland, which is rare, unique and irreplaceable
– restoration of damaged ancient woodland, bringing precious pieces of our natural history back to life
– plant native trees and woods with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 29,000 hectares.
Access to its woodland is free so everyone can benefit from woods and trees.
The Mersey Forest
The Mersey Forest is a growing network of woodlands and green spaces spread across Cheshire and Merseyside, which has been creating woodlands for 30 years.
It is one of the leading environmental regeneration projects in the North-West, and through community and partnership working, has seen more than 9 million trees planted.
This is equivalent to five new trees for every person living within the Mersey Forest area.
The forest helps towns and cities adapt to climate change; creates woodlands that are visited at least once a week by local peoples, and helps improve the image of towns and cities.
The scheme is a partnership of local authorities, landowners, Forestry Commission, Natural England, Environment Agency and businesses.
The Northern Forest
The Northern Forest has already established over 3 million new trees since 2018 and is transforming the landscape from coast to coast – and in and around cities such as Liverpool, Chester, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, York and Hull.
It’s connecting people with nature, creating growth and investment opportunities, reducing climate change and flood risk, improving health and wellbeing, supporting the rural economy and developing innovative funding mechanisms for the future.
The community forests in the north of England (The Mersey Forest, White Rose Forest, City of Trees and HEYwoods) have been working with the Woodland Trust to take the Northern Forest from concept to reality.
They all have a long and successful history of working together and combine over a century of environmental regeneration and green infrastructure experience.
