More than 600,000 trees will be planted near Wooler over the next two years, after England’s largest woodland planting scheme in decades was given the go-ahead by the Forestry Commission today. Doddington North Moor has been given consent to plant a new 350-hectare forest – the largest of its kind to be planted in England for more than 30 years. The forest, which will span the equivalent of more than 650 football fields, will help to enhance populations of the iconic red squirrel, while storing more than 120,000 tonnes of carbon and helping to manage flood risk in the area. With the forestry and timber processing industry a major employer in the region, the project is also set to bring a boost to local businesses and will generate a number of new jobs.