£5.9M project to revive England's 105,000-acre 'Ghost Woods'

More than 105,000 acres of England's so-called “Ghost Woods” are set to be restored after the Rewild the Ghost Woods campaign secured £5.9 million in ongoing UK government funding. The project will target ancient woodland sites buried beneath monoculture timber plantations, in what campaigners say is a major step towards reviving some of England's most biodiverse landscapes.The funding, secured for the period from 2026 to 2029, marks the first time the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has committed multi-year funding specifically towards restoration on the Public Forest Estate, according to campaign group Wild Card.The funding will support the restoration of 105,000 acres of Forestry England land classified as Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS).