New National Forest - North and Midlands
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
What it funds
BackgroundThe government has made a manifesto commitment to create three new national forests (NNFs) to be delivered in England by the end of Parliament. The first of these NNFs – the Western Forest – was launched in March 2025 in South-West EnglandThis NNF3 Competition is the second of two new competitions to deliver the remaining two NNFs within England. The first of these competitions, which recently closed, is to deliver a NNF within the Oxford-Cambridge (OxCam) Growth Corridor.The third new
Who can apply
Applicants for the competitive process will be expected to demonstrate that they have the capacity, experience, capability and knowledge to deliver the outcomes of the new national forest. The eligibility criteria for suitable organisations are: Evidence of organisational status: Applicants, whether applying individually or as part of a wider consortium, must be a registered public, charitable or private organisation. Leadership, advocacy and strategy: Have skills and expertise in leadership and strategy for major programmes of similar complexity, including organisational resilience, scale and track record. Experience of successful woodland creation projects at scale: Have demonstrable experience of successfully delivering public benefit through woodland creation at a landscape scale, including the administration of grant schemes, support to partners, and detailed reporting. Partner and community engagement experience: Have demonstrable knowledge of and active engagement with senior partners and communities. This will include having credibility, trust and networks with key partners, politicians and institutions to support delivery, convene groups and communicate ambitions. Planning
How to apply
Apply via Defra e-Sourcing platform: Welcome
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