Achieving net zero for carbon is vital to our climate change response and to put the Forest at the heart of economic prosperity. This is helping to harness the economic opportunities provided by our woodlands through growing key sectors including contracting and land-based enterprises, low carbon technologies, leisure and tourism, and the creative industries. Greening the economy also has the wider benefit of improving the quality of the place, providing an uplift in house prices and quality of life.
We support business development that is aligned to the National Forest through grants, advice, partnerships and support. This includes a sustainable tourism programme, collaboration on carbon reduction and storage, facilitating local procurement and a circular economy. Our work in this area also includes wider strategic development such as the masterplanning of the heart of the National Forest and refresh of the Conkers Discovery Centre.