Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest aims to increase tree cover across eastern, north-eastern and southern Derbyshire and Derby, connecting landscapes, people and wildlife.
Tree planting brings a wide range of benefits, from improving biodiversity to supporting farming, enhancing landscapes, and creating new green spaces for communities.
Through this government-funded scheme, landowners, farmers, schools and community groups can access fully funded support for woodland and hedgerow creation, including design, planting and maintenance for up to 15 years.
Building on the success of its first year, the programme has planted more than 80,000 trees across 60 hectares at 47 sites during this second planting season, stretching from Dronfield to Draycott.
Among this season’s sites are:
- Heage Primary School - where pupils and staff came together to plant 400 trees, creating new shade, wildlife habitats, an orchard and an extended forest school area.
- Brownhouse Farm - a family farm near Wirksworth where new woodland and native hedgerows is connecting habitats and supporting long-term resilience for both wildlife and livestock. Covering 17.4 hectares, this is one of Derbyshire Heartwood’s largest planting sites
- Sudbury Hall (National Trust) - where more than 12,000 trees, including pinetum, broadleaf and cherry species, are being established to create peaceful new areas for visitors.
These projects highlight the growing momentum behind Heartwood, with participation from a diverse range of landowners, from schools and smallholdings to farms and major heritage sites.
What sets the grant scheme apart is the level of support available, with the Heartwood team guiding applicants through every stage, from initial design and paperwork to planting and long-term aftercare.
As planning begins for the third planting season, which gets underway in October 2026, the Heartwood team is encouraging more landowners and community groups to come forward.
Councillor Carol Wood, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:
“It’s been a fantastic second season for Heartwood. We’ve planted 47 sites with more than 80,000 trees and 4.69 miles of hedgerow, underpinning our commitment to protect and improve our environment and your public spaces.
“We’re seeing real enthusiasm from landowners, schools and partners who want to play their part in creating a greener Derbyshire.
“What makes Heartwood different from other planting schemes is the support we offer. Everything from design through to planting and maintenance is fully funded, making it easy for people to get involved.
“We’re now lining up sites for our next season, so if you have land, small or large, and are interested in planting trees, we’d love to hear from you.”
Find out more about Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest and how to apply for support.
Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest is supported through the Defra Trees Programme, funded by the government.