The North East’s largest airport has planted more than 8,300 trees as part of its membership of the North East Community Forest Project, as well as to support the business’s environmental targets.

The new 5.77 hectare woodland area on Newcastle International Airport land, recently created with the help of the UK’s leading woodland creating and forest management company Tillhill, is one of the largest of the 25 North East Community Forest areas to be created in the 2021/22 planting season.

The North East Community Forest is a 30 year, multi-million pound project that will see tens of thousands of trees planted across Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham.

The trees planted by Newcastle International Airport, which are protected against rabbits by spirals during the establishment period, include 11 different broadleaf variations including silver birch, sycamore, hornbeam, poplar and white willow. This species mix was selected to minimise bird hazards, with the mix also helping to create ecological benefits through the provision of new habitat, carbon sequestration and landscape enhancement. The project is encircled by deer-proof fencing and includes the replacement of any failed trees at the end of years one and two.

Graeme Mason, Chief Sustainability and Communications Officer at Newcastle Airport said “Being a good neighbour is extremely important to us and progressing with our Net Zero 2035 ambitions is one of our main objectives in the coming years.

“The planting of these trees on Airport land will work to harness carbon from the atmosphere for many years to come, as well as providing more green canopy and woodland areas for the North East.”

Helping to tackle climate change and support regeneration, the North East Community Forest project plans to plant up to 500 hectares of trees by 2025, with a long-term goal to increase canopy cover across the North East by 30% before 2050 – almost double the current national average.

Tilhill’s Business Development Manager for England and Chartered Forester, Simon Marrington said: “This new woodland is the start of a much larger scheme to provide increased woodland cover in the North of England which seamlessly fits with the local character. The new woodland will form part of the newly created North East Community Forest bringing a range of benefits to local communities.

“The creation of the forest will provide local jobs, bring people closer to nature, reduce flooding, provide wildlife habitat, and sequester tonnes of carbon. We are excited to be part of such an important opportunity to help meet the UK’s planting target and help Newcastle Airport achieve its net zero ambitions.” Find out more about the tree-planting project here.

Newcastle International Airport is just one of hundreds of North East organisations helping the North East reach its net zero targets and make a difference on a global scale.