• The Woodland Trust is one of 90 projects across England that will receive funding through the second round of the Conservative Government's £80 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

• The funding will help to accelerate the implementation of nature-based projects across England, from new 'insect pathways' in our countryside and towns, to tree planting projects in deprived urban areas.

• Conservatives say the fund builds on the Prime Minister's 10 Point Plan to kick-start nature recovery and tackle climate change, helping the nation build back greener from the pandemic

Coalville Andrew Bridgen MP has welcomed the announcement that The Woodland Trust will receive £250,000 of funding to help create and retain green jobs, and support new nature schemes in North West Leicestershire.

The Woodland Trust is one of 90 projects across the country to receive funding from the second round of the Conservative Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund – worth a total £40 million – which will back initiatives such as creating new insect pathways in towns and the countryside, planting more trees in urban areas, and restoring moorlands, wetlands, peatlands, and forests.

Combined with the £40 million from the first round of funding, this brings the total amount paid out through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund up to £80 million – supporting and creating a combined total of 2,500 green jobs.

The two rounds of funding will lead to almost a million trees being planted, contributing towards the Government's manifesto commitment to treble tree planting rates across England by the end of Parliament.

The Fund is also contributing towards the Government's wider 25 Year Environment Plan commitments, including commitments to treble tree-planting rates in England by the end of this Parliament and restoring 35,000 hectares of peat.

Mr Bridgen said: "Preserving and restoring our precious natural environment is absolutely essential if we want it to be there and enjoyed by our children and grandchildren.

"The £250,000 awarded to The Woodland Trust in North West Leicestershire will help restore and safeguard our local natural landscape – creating and supporting green jobs in our community, and helping secure a green recovery.

"At the last election I promised to work with the Government to protect our natural environment, and this funding will help to deliver on that promise as we build back greener from the pandemic".

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow added: "The diverse and ambitious projects being awarded funding today will help environmental organisations employ more people to work on tree-planting, nature restoration and crucially, help more of the public to access and enjoy the outdoors.

"Through our £80 million Fund, we are on track to support over 2,500 jobs, plant almost a million trees and increase nature recovery at a huge scale across the country, which will help us deliver against our 25 Year Environment Plan."