The government has announced almost £4.5 million in new funding to help future-proof trees and forests against the impacts of climate change, pests and diseases.

Applicants can apply for a share of the funding through the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds and the Tree Production Innovation Fund with innovative approaches to tackling the threats facing the UK’s trees and forests.

Around 40% of England’s woodlands are not actively managed, which can be detrimental to biodiversity and leave neglected woodlands vulnerable to pests and disease.

Projects that will be supported under the two funds are expected to boost nature regeneration efforts, promote biodiversity and support new approaches to tree health, resilience and production amidst a changing climate.

The funding supports the UK’s wider efforts to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament and plant 30,000 hectares of trees across the country per year by 2025.

Sir William Worsley, Chair of the Forestry Commission said: “As we enter an unprecedented era of tree planting, fostering resilient tree growth and management will be essential to realise the health, economic and ecological benefits that trees offer – now and in the future.

“Both funds will drive innovation across the forestry and associated sectors to ensure our much loved trees and forests continue to thrive for generations to come in the face of a changing climate.”