National Trust to plant 91,000 trees in Sefton

Lunt’s new 193-acre forest will start growing early next year, now that a land sale between the local authority and the nature conservation charity has completed.

The deal between the National Trust and Sefton Council has been in the works since February and focuses on a series of plots on either side of the village of Lunt.

The National Trust said it would commence the planting of 91,000 trees in January, with the work set to carry through to March. The public will be encouraged to join in on a community planting date at some point in the spring.

In addition to planting trees, the National Trust will be introducing woodland, wetland, and grassland areas to the vacant farmland. The group hopes that this will increase the biodiversity in the area and perhaps even attract red squirrels.

The National Trust hopes to connect its land to that of other conservation agencies, creating a green network for the public to explore. Credit: via National Trust

The public will have access to the land, which previously was privately owned.

As well as increasing people’s access to nature and bolstering biodiversity, the project is meant to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. The trees will absorb and store carbon and reduce flood risk by taking on rainfall. This will, in turn, help reduce water pollution.

The National Trust is working with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, The Environment Agency, and Forestry England to connect its new forest to those organisations’ existing habitats in the area.

Back when the idea for the forest was first introduced, the National Trust’s lead ranger Kate Martin said: “Securing this land gives us a brilliant opportunity to create more diverse habitat, 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 project is partially funded through the Mersey Forest’s Trees for Climate programme, as well as the National Trust’s Plant a Tree appeal.

Reflecting on the land deal, Cllr Marion Atkinson, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “This is just another example of how we are working toward a green environment for Sefton residents…

“Sefton is fortunate to have many open greenspaces, and we are committed to exploring opportunities to provide local people with better access to nature, protect important habitats, and take action against climate change.”