Call to continue to support The Mersey Forest Partnership

Article date: July 9th 2025

St Helens Borough Council's Cabinet will be asked to approve the continuation of its membership of the Mersey Forest Partnership for the next five years.

The Mersey Forest covers more than 500 square miles in Merseyside and North Cheshire and is one of 15 areas of England to be the focus of a long-term tree planting programme to improve the local environment for the benefit of people, wildlife and the economy.

The council is one of seven council members alongside landowners, the Forestry Commission, Natural England, the Environment Agency, businesses, and local communities who make up The Mersey Forest Partnership.

The Mersey Forest Partnership was formed in 1991 to originally tackle the scars on the area's post-industrial landscape and use woodlands to help change perceptions of Merseyside and north Cheshire.

Councillor Tracy Dickinson, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Environmental Services, said: "St Helens was a founder member of the Mersey Forest Partnership and for the past 30 years the borough has seen massive benefits from our participation, such as new woodlands being created across the borough, expanded footpaths in the Bold Forest Park area, preservation of Griffin Wood and supporting Colliers Moss North through the Mersey Forest Green Task Force volunteers whose involvement has been instrumental in maintaining and improving the area, fostering a sense of community ownership and environmental management and supporting our rich biodiversity

"The partnership, which we hope to continue should Cabinet approve the move, will continue  to bring investment in our borough's green spaces and back our moves to plant more trees to support the diverse ecosystems, back our commitments to making the borough greener and provide wonderful green spaces for residents that help us all #LoveStHelens."

The plans will be discussed by Cabinet on Wednesday, 16 July at 4pm. Read the report here: The Mersey Forest Partnership