THE equivalent of 150 football pitches of new woodland will be planted across Worcestershire, thanks to new Government funding.
Cash will come from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is desperate to increase tree cover across the county during the next five years.
Under Defra's Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, farmers who plant new broadleaf woodland will receive payments for 15 years to cover the loss of agricultural income.
The Forestry Commission is also offering grants to help with the cost of planting and establishment of trees.
'New life'
"This programme is breathing new life into the countryside," said Roger Owen, Defra's rural development service manager.
"The aim is not only to help slow the decline of rarer birds, wildlife, flora and fauna, but also to enhance the landscape for residents and visitors alike."
Across the West Midlands in the next five years, an area equivalent to 935 football pitches will be planted, with a total of 126 applications from farmers approved between January 2001 and June this year.
A further 15 applications are being considered.
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