The government has announced a new Taskforce that will oversee the planting of millions of trees across the UK.

The Tree Planting Taskforce aims to bring ministers from across the four nations together with forestry delivery partners and arm’s-length bodies to help drive forward tree planting to meet the UK’s net zero targets.

Richard Standford, chair for the Forestry Commission, says the new Taskforce is “committed to delivering the shared aims of forestry across the four nations so we can continue to tackle some of society’s biggest challenges with thriving trees, woods and forests.”

The commitment comes after the government pledged £400m towards tree planting and peatland restoration in England for the next two years in the Autumn Budget.

“Trees deliver huge social, environmental and economic benefits – from absorbing carbon dioxide, cooling our cities, improving wellbeing and helping reduce NHS costs, while a thriving forestry sector supports green jobs and drives economic growth,” says forestry minister Mary Creagh, who says Labour was “elected on a mandate to protect and restore nature.”

A “rapid review” of the Environmental Improvement Plan has been launched and a Special Representative for Nature appointed to help achieve the next step towards meeting the international target of 30% of the world’s land and seas protected for nature by 2030.