How could woods and trees benefit from the Sustainable Communities Act (SCA)?
This Act became law in October 2007 and establishes for the first time a localised method of decision making. The Woodland Trust believes that it could be a valuable tool in helping communities get more access to woodland and join us in our aspirations for increased woodland cover across the UK.
73% of people we surveyed in 2008 said they would like to see more woods and trees...
...and around ¾ of the people we spoke to agree that planting new woods and trees benefits themselves and their family, as well as future generations.
One positive way this Act could be utilised, is as a way to enable Councils to invest in creating woodland on their dormant land, instead of having to sell it on to developers in order to generate revenue.
Likewise, this Act could help you ensure your voice can be heard in decision-making about developments - such as new roads, golf courses, housing estates - that could damage or even destroy areas of ancient and important woodland and trees in your community.
The LocalWorks coalition (of which the Woodland Trust is a member) is promoting the SCA to ensure take up in Councils across the country. There is guidance on how the public can utilise the Act and get involved in the new participation process it sets up available to download on the right, which also contains examples of what can be achieved using it.
Why do woods matter?
Today the importance of trees and woods has never been more apparent. Yet for all the benefits woods and trees provide, the UK remains one of the least wooded countries in Europe - with less than 12% woodland cover. In fact, in England, the figure is merely 8.6% with only 2.3% being native broadleaf trees.
Woodland creation matters not only in terms of creating more attractive landscapes and townscapes within which to live and work and to help wildlife prosper, but also because woodland has a key role to play in securing our future quality of life.
Trees and woods matter - they are essential for regulating climate and weather, important for the flow and quality of water, for mitigation of air pollution, soil conservation, storing carbon and adapting society to climate change. They provide valuable habitats for wildlife as well as timber and other products.
The Woodland Trust wants to see a doubling of native woodland cover in the UK over the next 50 years. Click here to understand why.
Want more woods and trees?
A world without trees would be unimaginable! Yet today less than 15% of the UK's population live within easy walking distance of a wood.
Bare land can be transformed into thriving woodland, providing crucial green spaces for people, wildlife and the planet.
Perhaps there is dormant Council-owned land in your area that could be transformed by trees? Or perhaps you are concerned about existing trees and woodlands and want to try to utilise this Act as a way to protect them?
Citizen's Panels must be established to develop the proposals which are taken forward by the local Council to government and the LGA. To participate, join a Citizen's Panel near you.
We have written a model proposal calling for the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees which you can submit, read more below.
A step by step guide to getting your proposal accepted could help - just click on the image below:
The presence of trees and woods is central to the character of many local communities. They provide vital green spaces for physical exercise and mental relaxation. Most of us have fond childhood memories of playing on or around trees. Their colour, beauty and timelessness, spanning generations, inspires our imaginations and our creativity.
Look at our suggested proposal.
The Woodland Trust has produced a example proposal to help communities call for more woodlands in their area under the provisions of this Act. You can read and download this on the right hand side.
LocalWorks has recently produced guidance on developing model proposals to help communities put together their suggestions in various areas. See the right hand side for guidance on using the Act to protect the environment, and check out the LocalWorks website to read guidance on developing other proposals.