I am proud to sign and support Dan Jarvis MP’s letter to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, requesting committments to rewilding the north and planting the Northern Forest. This is a vitally important environmental and economic investment that needs to happen to safeguard the North.

Sheffield City Region Mayor and MP for Barnsley Central, Dan Jarvis has brought together more than 120 cross-party northern leaders and MPs to support the growth of the Northern Forest.

The Northern Forest will see 50 million trees planted over the next 25 years in the North of England by the Woodland Trust and their partners, with more than 600,000 already in the ground. The forest will span 120 miles, connecting the towns and cities of Liverpool, Manchester and Lancaster to the West and Sheffield, Leeds and Hull to the East, benefiting 13 million residents and generating £2.5 billion in social, economic, and environmental benefits.

The letter asks for the Prime Minister’s commitment to deliver the Northern Forest and look at opportunities that support the development of green investment models. The letter also includes an invitation to the Prime Minister to visit the North to plant a tree as part of the Northern Forest.

Currently, only 7.6% of the North of England is covered by woodland, considerably lower than the 10% national average This is at the detriment of residents’ quality of life, but also to wildlife and their natural habitats.