Trees transform our countryside and bring landscapes to life

The simple act of planting trees gives little clue to the wealth of benefits that follow. Over time woods and trees become home to a vast array of wildlife.

The fragmented nature of woodland in the UK means it is difficult for woodland species to move in response to threats.

The small size of many woods means populations of some species are too small to be resilient. Small woods are also more vulnerable to negative effects of adjacent land-use such as noise and air pollution, run-off from intensive farming practices.

Creating new woodland or even planting individual trees can provide benefits to wildlife almost anywhere:

Next to existing woodland

Planting more trees next to existing ancient woods and species-rich hedgerows helps buffer them from the effects of neighbouring land use should benefit less mobile specialist woodland species.

Next to other habitats

Planting trees next to other wildlife habitats can also benefit species that rely on a “mosaic” of semi-natural open ground and woodland for shelter, nectaring and foraging.

Elsewhere in the landscape

Tree planting elsewhere in the landscape can help more mobile woodland species to move about in response to change.

Attract insects

Individual trees can support high numbers of insects – the best species are hawthorns, cherries, willows, birches and oaks, but shrubby woodland edges.

Patches of tall herbs can also be beneficial.

Attract birds

Woods are host to a rich diversity of birds. As new woodland changes and the canopy develops the bird community evolves.

Species associated with open habitats, such as skylark, meadow pipit and grey partridge can be seen in earlier years, followed by open-scrub birds, and then those that rely on thicket-stage woodland, such as willow warbler.

Longer term, providing scrub along rides and woodland edges, or management by coppicing, ensures a variety of structure that will maximise diversity of birds using the wood.

Obviously species vary with location.

Attract bats

Seven of Britain’s 16 species of bats are of conservation concern, including Bechstein’s Bat and the barbastelle. All regularly use woodland and trees.

Populations of most species have declined significantly in the last 100 years, partly due to intensive agriculture and resultant loss of habitat and roost sites.

A landscape mosaic of mature woodland, hedgerows, scrub, unimproved grassland, ponds and rivers would provide feeding and commuting opportunities for all the British bats.

Planting new native woodland could make a substantial contribution to bat conservation.

We believe the UK needs twice as much native woodland for the benefit of our precious local wildlife, our people and the environment.