The National Forest is closing in on a historic milestone – 10 million trees planted since its creation in the early 1990s – with more than 150,000 new trees added over the 2024–2025 planting season.
That means it’s already topped 9.85 million trees and, according to new analysis, those trees are doing more than just looking good.
They’ve captured an estimated 730,000 tonnes of CO₂e – roughly the same as taking 429,000 petrol cars off UK roads for a year.
That’s based on official government figures, which show an average petrol car emits 1.7 tonnes of CO₂e annually.
The scale of environmental change across the 200 square miles of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire is striking.
In 30 years, woodland cover has jumped from 6% to more than 25%, transforming a once industrially-scarred landscape into a thriving mix of nature, people and enterprise.
“This is not just about growing trees,” said National Forest chief executive John Everitt. “It’s about growing resilience, restoring nature and supporting people and places to thrive.”
The 2024–2025 season saw 89,689 trees planted on National Forest land, with a further 53,509 trees delivered through partnerships with landowners, and around 6,000 more via planning agreements.
Much of the work has been backed by Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund, part of efforts to hit England’s Environment Act targets.
Dr Heather Gilbert, the Forest’s research and evidence manager, said the carbon impact of decades of planting was clear: “The trees planted in the National Forest are not only enhancing habitats and improving landscapes, but they are also locking away carbon year on year.”
With fewer than 150,000 trees to go, the push is on to hit the 10 million mark. Everitt said: “Whether through planting, volunteering or funding, everyone has a role to play.”
And as the government looks to replicate this success in the new Western Forest across parts of the South West, the National Forest stands as a powerful blueprint for climate adaptation, biodiversity, economic growth and cleaner air – all made possible by trees.
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