LONDON - Plans to create a new Northern Forest stretching from Liverpool to Hull have been kick-started by the government. It is providing £5.7m to increase tree cover along a belt spanning Manchester, Leeds and Bradford. The project will cost £500m over 25 years. The balance of the funds will need to be raised by charity. Environmentalists have welcomed the planned 50 million new trees, but say ministers must stop allowing ancient woodland to be felled.