Latest national tree planting figures show a continuing decrease in the rate of woodland creation, whilst trees and woods are being lost across the UK
Tree planting figures released by the Forestry Commission show the rate of woodland creation in the UK continues to fall despite recent calls for increasing woodland cover from within and outside government. From more than 12,000 ha of new planting in 2004, levels had halved to less than 6,000 ha last year and have fallen further to 5,000 ha in the last planting season.
Responding to the announcement, Sue Holden, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, the UK's leading woodland conservation charity which is now encouraging planting on other people's land, said: "These figures are truly worrying, but should be seen as a clarion call to us all to reverse the downward trend as a matter of urgency.
“Woods and trees are not a luxury but essential for our future quality of life. They are a key component in delivering a wide range of environmental benefits, such as carbon storage, air quality control, shade and shelter, surface flood water management and soil conservation, which are all the more pressing if we are to adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
"They also provide vital habitat for some of Britain’s most important wildlife, produce home-grown timber and wood fuel, have a proven ability to alleviate human mental stress and specific physical health problems and enhance our landscape.
"Trees are in many ways a highly cost effective way of tackling some of the major policy challenges of this government. This is why the Trust's pre-election manifesto called for a doubling of native woodland cover in the UK over the next 50 years."
At the election the Conservative manifesto called for a national tree planting campaign - reiterated in the coalition agreement - and also highlighted the need to create green spaces and ’plant many more trees’.
The Liberal Democrats went even further calling for a doubling of woodland cover.
The benefits of woodland creation already feature in the UK's Low Carbon Transition Plan published last summer and the 2009 ‘Read Report’ on the role of UK forests in combating climate change. Most recently, under Defra's Climate Change Plan a designated Woodland Carbon Task Force will work out how to encourage large scale private sector investment in woodland planting.
The Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly have both made far-reaching commitments to increase woodland cover.
The UK is already one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with half the European average for tree cover.
Referring to the pressures on currently forested areas, Sue Holden continued: "We fully support the Forestry Commission's policy on restoration of open habitats and the restructuring of plantations, but are concerned that with new planting rates so low the net result may be a loss of woodland cover in the UK, at a time when increasing it is essential. The Government's own figures show a loss of over 9,000 ha of woodland between 1999 and 2008 for England alone which may well be an underestimate.
"There is an urgent need to compensate for these losses with large scale woodland creation elsewhere, and we are doing our bit by supporting the planting of native woods and trees through innovative schemes such as MOREwoods and through partnerships with companies, schools and communities.
"We want to help government achieve its ambitious plans, but we need to see real commitment to support woodland creation."
Meanwhile there is evidence of significant loss of trees outside woods in hedgerows and fields, as old trees die or are felled for safety reasons, but not replaced. Forestry Commission research has shown that between 1980 and 1997 England suffered a 64% decline in individual trees.
Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, email: media@woodlandtrust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters.
The Trust has three key aims: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free.
MOREwoods is a scheme to help landowners create new native woodland with advice, help and, in some cases, funding from the Woodland Trust. A national network of woodland creation advisers can assist with larger scale planting. MOREwoods created 220 ha of new native woodland last winter.