Central Scotland's Climate Forests
Since the creation of the Clyde Climate Forest in 2021, the Fife, Forth, and East Lothian Climate Forests have taken root, soon to be joined by the emerging West Lothian Climate Forest.
These Climate Forests share an ambition to plant 35 million trees by 2035.
By expanding woodland nature networks across Central Scotland, Climate Forests help tackle some of our most pressing environmental challenges. From reducing flood risk and moderating temperature extremes to improving air quality, storing carbon and supporting biodiversity, these landscapes deliver lasting benefits for nature, climate and people.
Scotland's Climate Forests Film
To date, hundreds of schools, businesses and community groups have dug in to help plant tens of thousands of trees in local neighbourhoods bringing these benefits directly to where people live and work.
To learn more, watch our film.
£1m investment in Climate Forests
“This latest investment builds on and expands the benefits of Climate Forests to help increase canopy cover in urban and rural areas. We want to create greener, healthier, more resilient places where people can live well and connect with nature – offering spaces for people to rest, exercise, and improve their physical and mental health.
“Trees and woodlands do so much for us – from absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and providing habitats for wildlife to helping protect communities from flooding and extreme heat. Increasing tree canopy cover across Scotland’s towns, cities and rural communities will deliver all of these benefits for generations to come.
“This programme will help contribute towards our national woodland creation targets and, indeed, is central to Scotland meeting its climate targets. It is also about fairness and we are targeting investment in the communities with the fewest trees and the greatest vulnerability to a changing climate, because everyone deserves to live in a place that is greener, healthier, and more resilient.”
Gillian Martin
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs
find out more
The Climate Forests initiatives have been identified in the Scottish Government’s Scottish Biodiversity Delivery Plan as a landscape-scale exemplar project. The Plan aims to halt biodiversity loss and achieve a Nature Positive status by 2030.
Climate Forests are also a key strand helping to deliver the CSGN through their bold ambition to plant 35 million trees by 2035,
The map shows the spread of CSGN local authority areas already involved in Climate Forest delivery. Alongside the four established Climate Forests, activities are also taking root across West Lothian, Midlothian, and Edinburgh.
To find out more about each of the Climate Forests, click on the logos:
THE CLIMATE FOREST FORUM
In early 2026, the Climate Forests held a forum at the University of Stirling. During the event, attendees were invited to share their thoughts in response to two questions. The images below showcase an inspiring collage created from this exercise.
Q1: What do you think of when you hear of Climate Forests?
Q2: What is the most important action I can take to support Climate Forests?
