AN ambitious "back to nature" project in the Yorkshire Dales has won the financial backing of the Forestry Commission.

Through its English Woodland Grant Scheme, the organisation is to pump more than £100,000 into the initiative.

It should ultimately transform some 250-acres of densely planted Sitka spruce into a "vibrant" native broadleaf wood.

The backing for the project - at Forelands Rigg, near West Burton in Wensleydale - is part of the commission’s drive to create a greener future by supporting landscape improvements and the extension of wildlife habitats.

Land owners UPM Tilhill have already felled two-thirds of the conifer plantation after consultations with local people and organisations.

And the replanting, with species like sessile oak, ash, downey birch, hazel and hawthorne, is now underway.

The idea behind the project is to nurture a mosaic of habitats which are a haven for plants, woodland birds and other animals.

The commission’s regional director, Crispin Thorn, described the project as very significant.

"Well managed conifer woodland is a real asset for the region, offering a sustainable resource, and bringing a wide range of benefits," he said.

"But Forelands Rigg occupies a prominent hillside position in the Yorkshire Dales, so there are enormous gains to be tapped from this scheme in terms of the scenery, wildlife and people.

"Semi-natural woodland covers just one per cent of the Dales making this work even more significant in delivering our biodiversity targets.

"The clear fell areas will quickly give way to new growth and the wildlife dividends will soon become apparent."

The landowners have spread the felling work over three years to minimise disturbance and timber sales are helping to finance the scheme.

UPM Tilhill district manager John Deakin said: "We are delighted to be involved with this project, providing us with a unique opportunity to create a woodland that will provide multiple benefits to the locality.

"The support of the local residents during the harvesting period and of the Forestry Commission through their grant scheme has been instrumental in helping us to achieve this fantastic result."