Brook Farm in Herefordshire is moving ahead with a 146‑acre woodland creation project funded through the England Woodland Creation Offer. Led by FW Thorpe PLC’s Kate Thorpe, the plan sets out 124,400 mixed broadleaf and conifer trees to support the company’s carbon strategy while opening the site to the public and strengthening nature recovery and local flood resilience.

Planting is already under way. A 2025 results statement reported about 82,000 saplings went in during spring 2025, with roughly three‑quarters surviving a notably dry summer; any losses will be replanted this season. The company also confirmed up to £1.3 million in EWCO support for Brook Farm, signalling public funding aligned to measurable climate and community outcomes.

Design density averages roughly 2,100 trees per hectare across the 59‑hectare planting area, comfortably above the minimum 1,100 stems required for UK Forestry Standard‑compliant schemes. EWCO provides £400 per hectare per year for 15 years to help establish young trees and offers one‑off additional contributions where projects deliver public access and flood risk benefits-£3,700 and £1,000 per hectare respectively-subject to location and design criteria.

For flood risk, government evidence shows well‑sited woodland slows and stores water. Riparian belts can moderate smaller peaks and delay flood timing, while floodplain woodland increases roughness and holds water on the floodplain-useful for desynchronising peak flows downstream. Confidence is strongest at reach scale, with modelled examples showing reductions where planting is targeted.

A mixed palette of broadleaves and conifers is a resilience choice as much as an ecological one. Forest Research advises that greater species diversity can reduce vulnerability to drought, pests, disease and windthrow, helping stands maintain structure and function as the climate changes. That makes species variety a pragmatic design decision for Brook Farm’s long horizon.

On carbon, long‑term sequestration will be measured and verified. Typical UK woodland creation projects capture around 250–400 tonnes of CO2e per hectare over their lifetime, implying roughly 15,000–24,000 tonnes across Brook Farm if performance follows that range. Credible claims depend on validation and periodic verification under the Woodland Carbon Code, which had 762 validated projects by March 2025 covering 38,705 hectares and projecting 13 million tonnes of lifetime CO2 storage.

Public access and future timber production are built into the plan, balancing recreation with habitat creation and a local wood resource over time. Keeping the site open and productive spreads the benefits beyond carbon-supporting wellbeing, skills and a steady supply of lower‑carbon materials as the woodland matures.

From here, the work is about careful aftercare: controlling weeds, maintaining guards and fencing, and replanting where needed to keep survival rates high through the crucial early years. If the project stays true to UKFS design principles and Woodland Carbon Code verification, Brook Farm can stand as a practical example of how private capital supports England’s tree‑planting goals while delivering tangible benefits for nearby communities.