A new woodland creation scheme has launched in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, to provide local farmers with the chance to transform land into new native woodland.

The project will form part of the Woodland Trust's MOREwoods programme, which could incur little or no cost to landowners under the Forest Service's Woodland Grant Scheme. According to the trust, new native woodland will provide shade and shelter for animals, a sustainable source of timber and help to tackle the effects of climate change, as well as preventing flooding.

Brian Poots of the Woodland Trust said: "The initiative has already been well-received in a number of pilot regions, and we're now delighted to make it easy for farmers in the Derry City Council area to experience the beauty and benefits of woodland." Derry City Council biodiversity officer Julie Corry added: "This scheme will help to achieve our vision for native woodland for the region, as creating new woodland is a key objective of the Derry/Londonderry Local Biodiversity Action Plan."