MORE than 50,000 trees are to be planted in the Forest of Bowland as part of a conservation scheme.
The Forestry Commission is planting the young trees around Gisburn and the Dunsop Valley.
The saplings are among nearly half a million being planted throughout Cumbria and Lancashire over the coming months as part of the commission's annual tree-planting programme.
The commission is planting three trees for every one harvested as part of its long-term management plan for the North West. The replanting programme will include oak, ash, alder and rowan. Graeme Prest, the commission's North West England manager, said: "Our felling and replanting programme follows long-term forest plans of 20 years or more.
"The aim is to introduce a wide range of trees of all ages to improve the appearance of the Bowland Forest area.
"It will create a better environment for wildlife, at the same time producing valuable supplies of timber."
More than 90,000 cubic metres of timber are harvested from forests in the North West every year for packaging, building materials, fencing, kitchen units and paper production.
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