The Community Forest Trust was originally incorporated as the Red Rose Forest Company in 1998. The organisation changed its name to Community Forests North West Limited in 2004 when it supported the charitable aspects of both the Mersey Forest and Manchester City of Trees to aid the fundraising for and the delivery and administration of community forestry projects.
The organisation was renamed the Community Forest Trust in 2012 to reflect the organisation’s potential to support Community Forests nationally. As an independent charity and with an ability to be more agile in the way it operated, it was able to secure funds, employ staff, acquire land and enter partnership arrangements for the Community Forests.
Since then, it has supported the Community Forests in securing funds and providing services. It was also instrumental in securing the first £170m DEFRA funded Trees for Climate Programme, as well as its successor programme.