Western Forest – England's first new national forest in more than 30 years – has announced the appointment of Jamie Audsley as its first director.

In its first five years, Western Forest aims to create at least 2,500 hectares of woodland and other tree habitats, boosting the economy, supporting nature recovery and bringing trees closer to where people live – serving more than 2.5 million residents across towns, cities and rural communities.

Stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips across Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the West of England, Western Forest is being hosted by the Forest of Avon Trust and supported by £7.5 million of government funding over five years, following a competitive bid process to Defra last year.

Jamie joins Western Forest from Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, where as chief executive he led landscape-scale nature and climate recovery programmes across an area covering 15,000 hectares, growing income, building partnerships and creating investible nature projects.

Jamie has a proven track record of securing funding and bringing together public and private investment to scale up delivery. He is known for building trusted regional partnerships and turning long-term environmental goals into practical programmes, with his previous leading roles including head of future nature at RSPB.

In his first year, Jamie will focus on realising Western Forest's vision – with a plan that local communities, landowners, businesses and partners can get behind – alongside progressing practical delivery that people can see on the ground.

Jamie, director of Western Forest, said: "It's clear local people are looking for something real, and a new national forest can be just that. We don't need another fuzzy concept, rather – a forest we can all access and a plan that makes sense to everyone.

"Western Forest is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring trees and woodland into more of our everyday places – from trees on farms to boost incomes, to villages and the edges of towns and cities, improving access to nature and our mental health. Our first job is to work with farmers, communities and partners to create a tangible plan for what this will look like, then get on with delivering it. 

"In the next 12 months people should expect to see more projects taking shape, more trees going in the ground and more chances to get involved – whether you're a landowner thinking about how trees can work to benefit your farm, a business or individual looking to invest in natural capital, or a local resident who wants healthier places to walk, cycle and spend time."

Alister Rankine, chair of Forest of Avon Trust, said: "Jamie brings the perfect mix of leadership, partnership-building and delivery experience to ensure Western Forest moves quickly and credibly from ambition into action.

"This is about making it easier for landowners, communities and businesses to be part of something big – planting trees in the right places, restoring habitats and creating long-term benefits for people and nature. People across the region will have a chance to shape the plan, what it looks like and means to them."

Early delivery has already begun, including the creation of Pucklechurch Wood on South Gloucestershire Council land – a 30-hectare site (around 42 football pitches) where 22,000 trees are being planted between late November and March, with a further 22,000 planned in the next planting season.

Western Forest will work with landowners in a predominantly agricultural landscape to show how trees on farms such as wood pasture, alley crops, hedgerows and farm woodlands can deliver economic and environmental benefits. That means more shelter for livestock, healthier soils, better water management and new long-term income streams – designed with food production in mind.

Investible nature projects that businesses and funders can back will be brought forwards, unlocking finance to accelerate delivery whilst creating greener, more accessible spaces and strengthening climate resilience.

Western Forest is working with local Wildlife Trusts, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), delivery partners and experts in forest management – a joint effort that brings in young people thinking about a career in forestry, councils, mayors and local officials with landowners, farmers and communities across the West of England, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.