Kirklees Council is to continue to co-ordinate the planting of thousands of hectares of new woodland across West and North Yorkshire.

Since 2002 the council has been the “accountable body” for the White Rose Forest, part of a £400 million nationwide plan to tackle climate change by planting new woodland.

The tree planting programme, called Trees for Climate, will see the White Rose Forest receive around £47 million from the Government over the next four years.

Thousands of hectares of new woodlands will be created across the region over the next four years, supported by the Trees for Climate programme, part of the Government’s ‘Nature for Climate’ fund.

Trees for Climate will help the delivery of two programmes, Green Streets – planting trees in towns and cities – and Landscapes for Water, which is aimed at cutting the risk of flooding.

Funding and support will be provided to private and public landowners who want to create new woodland on their land.

The White Rose Forest has a team of 17 staff, seven of which are employed by Kirklees Council and 10 with the Community Forest Trust.

Most had fixed term contracts through to September 2026 but the council’s approval to continue through to 2030 means the contracts can now be extended.

David Shepherd, the council’s executive director for place, said: “We are committed to making our district carbon neutral by 2038.

“It has been proven that trees actively remove carbon from the air, and tree planting on this scale will help us make our vision a reality.

“Staff and volunteers have already planted three million trees across North and West Yorkshire since the Trees for Climate programme began.

“They have helped create natural flood management, improve air quality and make our towns more appealing for businesses, whilst creating spaces where people will want to walk, wheel and cycle more often.

“Alongside our White Rose Forest partners across the region, we will continue addressing the climate crisis and building a cleaner, greener future for everyone.”

The White Rose Forest is one of England’s 15 community forests.