Officials unveil jaw-dropping plan to build entirely new forest: 'We will plant 20 million trees'

Restoring forests after they've been cut down is a project that will span lifetimes, but the United Kingdom is getting a start with a new Western Forest to be planted by 2050, the Guardian reported.

The forest will stretch from the Cotswolds to the Mendips. At least 2,500 hectares (6,178 acres) of forest focused on five priority areas in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Bristol will be planted by 2030; the number of trees will hit 20 million by 2050.

Most of the new forest will be established on existing farmland and will incorporate agroforestry and farm woodlands. An additional 1,500 hectares (3,707 acres) of existing forest will be brought under the project's management by 2030.

This will be England's first new national forest since the establishment of the National Forest in the Midlands 30 years ago. The UK government has earmarked up to £7.5 million (just under $10 million) for the project over the next five years.

Alex Stone, the chief executive of the Forest of Avon Trust, said the project would improve the lives of the area's 2.5 million residents and its many visitors.

"The Western Forest will enhance, connect, and improve our urban and rural landscapes, support investment into the region, create jobs and skills opportunities, and bring the endless benefits we get back from planting and caring for our trees," she added, per the Guardian.

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Forests play a vital role in our environment. Tree cover helps cool the land and prevent heat islands, purifies the air, locks away carbon air pollution that would otherwise trap heat in our atmosphere, helps the land absorb water to prevent floods, and provides food and shelter for an incredible range of wildlife, which humans in turn rely on for both work and recreation.

While trees can be replanted after being cut down, there's no substitute for old-growth forest. Planting this forest now and letting it grow could help restore these habitats that have been lost to logging and development over the last few centuries.

"We will plant 20 million trees in the Western Forest to bring nature closer to people, prevent flooding, and support wildlife," said nature minister Mary Creagh, per the Guardian.

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species?

Definitely 👍