# 500,000 new trees outside woodlands by 2030

> “Through this fund, up to 500,000 new trees outside woodlands will be planted between April 2027 and March 2030.”
>
> — Angela Eagle, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Labour Party; Written ministerial statement, 12 October 2026

- **Status:** Promised
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Housing & environment](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/housing-and-environment)
- **Speaker:** [Angela Eagle](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/angela-eagle), Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- **Party:** [Labour Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/labour)
- **Made on:** 12 October 2026
- **Where:** Written ministerial statement
- **Deadline:** 31 March 2030
- **Cost a year:** Costs £16m to £19m a year (central £18m by Defra, official)
- **Who it affects:** People in towns, cities and the countryside of England, near the new trees
- **When:** Between April 2027 and March 2030
- **Paid for by:** The £53m Community Trees Fund
- **Quote source:** https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-12/HCWS354 (checked word for word on 13 October 2026; Open Parliament Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 13 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-community-trees-500k-2030

## Where it stands

The Community Trees Fund, announced on 30 September 2026, pays for tree planting in streets, parks and places near where people live and work. Councils, Strategic Authorities, environmental groups, farm clusters and National Park Authorities can bid. "Up to" means no number of trees is guaranteed; the card reads the 500,000 as the target.

## Timeline

- 12 October 2026, Promised: The Environment Secretary says the Community Trees Fund will plant up to 500,000 new trees outside woodlands between April 2027 and March 2030
- 31 March 2030, Deadline (to come): Up to 500,000 trees outside woodlands due by March 2030

## About the cost

The government's own figure: £53m over three years, shown as about £17.7m a year. Low–high is an editorial ±10% because the source gives a central figure only.

Costing sources:
- [Written ministerial statement HCWS354, 12 Oct 2026: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs activity during the conference recess](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-12/HCWS354)

## Sources

- [Written ministerial statement HCWS354, 12 Oct 2026: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs activity during the conference recess](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-12/HCWS354)

## Checks

- Checked automatically by AI Journalist, not yet verified by an editor.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 13 October 2026.

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