The Mersey Forest have planted their 10 millionth tree at a celebration event at Lunt woodland, in Sefton. The tree was planted on land that has been recently acquired by the National Trust from Sefton Council as part of their ambitions to create 250,000 hectares of nature-rich landscape by 2035.

In February, the National Trust planted nearly 93,000 trees on 78 hectares of land at Lunt. The conservation charity will work in partnership with organisations including The Mersey Forest, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, the Environment Agency and Forestry England to create and connect existing pockets of woodland and wetland to benefit nature and people.

Existing pockets of woodland will connect with the newly established trees and become part of The Mersey Forest, a growing network of woodlands and green spaces across Cheshire and Merseyside. As the new woodland matures it will lock up carbon in its soils and timber and capture rainfall, which can help to reduce flood risk and reduce water pollution.

Existing paths, including those linked to The Trans Pennine Trail will give local people access to the woodlands and space to enjoy nature on their doorstep. Trees and expanding hedgerows will provide a wide range of habitats for wildlife, from birds such as woodpeckers and owls, to insects and possibly even red squirrels.    

The project has been part funded by the DEFRA Trees For Climate programme through The Mersey Forest team, as well as HSBC UK and funds raised through the National Trust’s Plant a Tree appeal.

Justin Matthews, Area Ranger for the National Trust, said, “Securing this land gives us a brilliant opportunity to create more diverse habitat alongside our partners, enabling nature to flourish in the area. We know that people feel much more connected to nature when they can get out into it close to home, and that connectedness makes a huge difference to health and wellbeing.”

The celebration event at Lunt woodland was attended by local councillors and environmental organisations.

Cllr Mhairi Doyle, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said, “I am delighted to see the sale of land from Sefton Council to the National Trust complete. The report presented to cabinet demonstrated how the sale would positively impact the area's biodiversity and increase the area's ability to capture carbon from new woodland planting and wetland creation. And equally, it will benefit local people in Sefton who will gain a new site to enjoy and spend time in nature.”

Lunt woodland is one of many woodlands across the country that is being delivered by England's Community Forests, a network of 15 Community Forests that started over three decades ago and has been working in partnership with the National Trust since 2021. By the end of this spring, an impressive total of 693 hectares (1712 acres) of trees will have been planted on Trust land over the three years of the partnership, creating the equivalent of over 1,070 football pitches of vital woody habitats.   

To find out more about the project, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/lunt-woodland