What's happening in Lunt?
Alongside our partners, we're creating new woodlands and more diverse, nature-rich, habitats for nature like wetlands and species rich grassland on 78 hectares of disused farmland at Lunt village in Sefton. This will help preserve and protect this land for nature and the local community.
How this will benefit nature and people
We're working in partnership with organisations who are caring for land in the surrounding area including Lancashire Wildlife Trust, The Environment Agency and Forestry England, so that we can connect existing habitats. New areas of forest would join existing pockets of woodland and wetlands with the intention of creating a green haven for local people to enjoy, and habitats for a broad range of wildlife from birds to insects, to native plants and even perhaps red squirrels.
We are one of Europe’s least wooded nations, yet these spaces are vital in our response to the biodiversity and climate crises. The National Trust are keen to play our part by supporting woodland creation projects near places where people live, helping both biodiversity recovery and climate mitigation and providing opportunities for people to access nature close to home.
How the work has been funded
The project is mainly be funded by the DEFRA Trees For Climate programme through the Mersey Forest team. As well as money raised through the National Trust Plant a Tree appeal.
Trees are one of our most powerful tools in mitigating climate change. As new woodland develops and matures it locks up carbon in soils and timber, as well as intercepting rainfall which can help to reduce flood risk and reduce water pollution.
What's the latest?
The transaction of land between Sefton Council and the National Trust was confirmed on Friday 1 November. Between January and March 2025 we will plant approximately 93,000 trees in the ground to create new woodlands and connect existing pockets of land.
You can see the early concept plans for the land in Lunt here and a proposed visualisation below.
Contact us
Get in touch to share your feedback or ask us anything about the Lunt project.
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