Following a refresh of the Mersey Forest Plan in 2014, a boundary change increased the area of the Mersey Forest by 167 km² from 1,203 km² to 1,370 km², an increase of 13.9%.

The Mersey Forest is supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council, Halton Borough Council, Knowsley Council, Liverpool City Council, Sefton Council, St Helens Council and Warrington Borough Council.

It has reported woodland creation within its boundaries as 17.10ha in the 2013-14 planting season and 25.86ha in the 2014-15 planting season. No figure has been published for the 2015-16 planting season.

The Forest’s web site can be viewed here: www.merseyforest.org.uk/.

We certainly support this partnership of local authorities with organisations in the Defra Group, and its aim to increase woodland cover to 20 per cent of the Mersey Forest area. This supports our national commitment to plant 11 million more trees by the end of this Parliament and to continue to expand woodland cover in England.

The Mersey Forest partnership has transformed the Mersey area since it was set up in 1991. It has planted 9 million trees and doubled woodland cover in the area, providing great places for local people to enjoy as well as a wide range of economic and environmental benefits. The Mersey Forest is one of eight Community Forests in England that together deliver urban, economic and social regeneration, helping to transform areas that have seen significant industrial restructuring, by reclaiming brownfield land to create high-quality environments for millions of people. This wider network of Community Forests has planted over 10,000 hectares of new woodland and brought more than 27,000 hectares of existing woodland into management.

Whilst it is for the constituent local authorities to agree their ongoing commitment, Defra Group organisations will continue to support Mersey Forest in its ambition to increase woodland cover to 20 per cent.

The Mersey Forest is being developed by a wide ranging partnership. Seven local authorities play a central role alongside national partners, private and voluntary sector

organisations and local communities. The partnership has secured funding for its objectives from a wide range of sources including the EU, Defra, the Big Lottery Fund, landfill tax and charitable trust funds. It remains focused on creating an extensively wooded landscape around the towns and cities that lie within the Mersey Forest boundary.

Since 1991 the Mersey Forest has provided a wide range of public benefits through the creation of more than 2,900 hectares of new woodland, planting nearly 9 million new trees.

Woodland cover has increased from 4.29% to 6.65% of the Mersey Forest area. In addition, more than 2,500 street trees have been planted and over 3,730 hectares of non-woodland habitat has been created or brought into management.

Over 700 kilometres of good quality walking and cycling routes have improved access opportunities and many thousands of people have been involved via community events. The Mersey Forest has worked with more than half of the schools in Merseyside and North Cheshire to improve their grounds.