The creation of a third new national forest has taken a step forward with the government committing up to £7.5 million over a five-year period to support the initiative. The funding marks continued progress towards delivering the government’s manifesto commitment to establish three new national forests across England.

The new national forest will be located in either the Midlands or the North of England. It is expected to scale up to 600 square miles, making it large enough to provide a substantial, long-term contribution to national tree-planting targets while integrating with the regional landscape and local identity. Eligible organisations across these northern and central regions are now being invited to submit bids to become the official delivery partner.

The third national forest will place a specific focus on improving health outcomes for local residents, particularly within low-income communities that disproportionately experience poor access to green and blue spaces. Evidence shows that access to woodland and green areas delivers significant public health benefits, including better mental health and reduced healthcare costs, increased physical activity, chronic disease prevention, cardiovascular benefits, stress relief, stronger social connections, and enhanced cognitive development in children and young people.

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Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: "In our manifesto we promised three new national forests, and after the Western Forest and the OxCam arc forest we’re looking for England’s newest forest in the Midlands or the North.

"Too many communities can’t access the green spaces that benefit mental and physical health. This new national forest will help change that, and I encourage every eligible organisation with the vision and expertise to come forward."

The existing National Forest in the Midlands has already demonstrated the potential of such schemes, having planted 10 million trees to transform the landscape. This increased local tree canopy and woodland cover from 6% to 26% while supporting more than 5,000 jobs in the visitor economy.

The chosen delivery partners for this third national forest will collaborate with Defra and the National Forest Company to help identify and establish the woodland, ensuring it provides targeted economic, environmental, and social benefits.

National Forest Company Chief Executive John Everitt said: "Opening the competition for the third new national forest is a major milestone in accelerating our tree planting ambitions. We are looking forward to seeing some strong applications that can make a real difference for the health and wellbeing of communities across the Midlands and North of England."

The government intends to prioritise locations and deployment approaches that best demonstrate how a richer, more accessible natural environment can improve health and wellbeing for the people who need it most.

The funding forms part of the government's commitment to the largest ever investment in nature, with more than £1 billion allocated to tree planting and support for the forestry sector during this parliament. This will contribute to Environment Act targets, including the statutory goal to increase tree canopy and woodland cover to 16.5% by 2050, alongside targets to halt species decline and protect 30% of land for nature by 2030.

The new national forests are designed to accelerate progress towards woodland creation targets while shaping policy innovations that speed up tree planting delivery across the country.

This announcement builds on previous milestones. Planting has already commenced at the Western Forest — the first new national forest in over three decades — which is scheduled to see more than 20 million trees planted across Bristol, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset by 2050. Additionally, a competition for a delivery partner for the second new national forest in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor recently took place, with further details expected to follow in due course.