About us
The North East Community Forest (NECF) was formally established on July 21 2021, after a successful expression of interest was made to both England Community Forests and the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
It is overseen by the North East Community Forest partnership, made up of local and combined authorities, charities and organisations. Newcastle City Council (NCC) is the accountable body for fund holding and employment of the NECF.
A dedicated ‘Forest Team’, are responsible for management of the programme. This includes working with volunteers and landowners to plant trees and create new woodlands to make our region more resilient to climate change and to inspire a passion for trees and woods by engaging the people of the North East.
The NECF offers one of the most competitive grant schemes for tree planting called ‘Trees for Climate’. It comes with free, expert and impartial advice to support and guide you through planning, funding and planting. This is a highly bespoke grant that will cover the costs of creating a new woodland and associated infrastructure such as fencing and gates with funding for on-going maintenance to ensure success.
The NECF is in the process of developing ‘The Forest Plan’. This is a strategy document, which will shape the formation of the North East Community Forest. We will be engaging with the public on this very soon, so keep an eye on our website and social media for details.