The company which runs the National Forest is intending to become a charity in an attempt to secure more funding as part of its ten year strategy.

The National Forest Company was set up by government in 2005 to lead the creation of a new, multi purpose forest for England across 200 square miles of the Midlands. It has since planted more than eight million trees across the land.

The company has revealed in its 2014-2015 business plan that it plans to move towards independence and away from Government by 2024. It announced that this requires “achieving charitable status for fundraising purposes”.

It adds that it plans to maintain its status as a non-departmental public body (NDPB) sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the time being, in agreement with the Charity Commission.

Sophie Churchill OBE, chief executive of the National Forest Company, described the current aim for the organisation as having a similar set up to Kew Gardens, which is an NDPB and an exempt charity regulated directly by Defra.

She told Civil Society News that they are looking to do this now based on their strong position with continuing government support and that it is part of the “evolution of the company”.  

Churchill said: “We have a strong strategy for the next ten years so we have time to build our future into the long term. What we will be doing is running as a NDPB as part of the Defra family, alongside having charitable status, a bit like Kew Gardens.”

She added that no definite proposal has been taken to the Charity Commission yet because the governance has to work for its local partners and Defra.

The NFC plans to make its final decision on its charitable status in the coming months, following discussions with Defra and the Charity Commission.

The company already works alongside an existing charity, the National Forest Charitable Trust (NFCT), to create and maintain the National Forest. The trust operates the forest's visitors centre and looks after the “heart of the forest” area.

As part of its ten year strategy, the National Forest Company plans to explore further integration with the NFCT and the potential to take on its charitable status. It will also consider whether to take on charitable status regardless of the final decision over integration with the NFCT.

Churchill said there is potential for there to eventually be one charity for the National Forest, although she clarified that this was still only a possibility.

In its most recent annual report, the National Forest Charitable Trust wrote that one of its short term targets for the next 20 year is to continue its close working relationship with the National Forest Company, to further support the creation of the National Forest.

It also wrote that the Trust wishes to “explore the options for the integration of the two organisations so that the optimum arrangement can be determined and a detailed implementation plan agreed.”