Defence Estates (DE) and the Woodland Trust have entered a partnership that will see them joining forces to maximise opportunities for tree planting across Ministry of Defence land.
The two organisations are working together to boost the UK's woodland cover and support our Armed Forces by providing improved training facilities for troops preparing for military operations, including Afghanistan.
The first step is a three-month study of military land beginning in June, where specialists in woodland creation from the Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation and creation organisation, will be working with DE Regional Foresters.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is one of the country’s largest landowners. DE manages around 240,000 hectares of land - around one per cent of the UK’s landmass - on behalf of the MOD.
The role of woodland in mitigating effects of climate change and providing renewable energy has been recognised by Government.
Recent independent scientific reports have also called for a major increase in trees and woodland to counter climate change and move the country into a low carbon society, explained Sue Holden, Chief Executive of the Woodland Trust.
She said: “We are extremely excited about the prospect of creating lots of new woodland through our partnership with Defence Estates.
“Our aim is to double native tree cover in the UK and we’re delighted that Defence Estates is prepared to show leadership in sustainable land management in this way. We anticipate this new partnership and the findings of the next three months will present a powerful argument that it can be done and I am convinced that there are others for whom planting would prove a positive step.
“The Trust wants to work with landowners all over the country to help them plant trees and create new native woodland, backed by nearly four decades of our own experience. That can be either through our MOREwoods programme for smaller scale planting or on a larger scale, through partnerships of this nature.”
For the MOD, the development of woodland on its estate also has operational benefits because it offers an effective environment for military training.
DE forestry expert Jon Watson said: “Supporting our Armed Forces is a top priority for Defence Estates and our training facilities undoubtedly play a vital role in the Afghanistan effort.
“We are delighted to be working with the Woodland Trust in identifying opportunities to create new woodland. We believe this work will help to improve an already valuable military training resource. The project will also help to strengthen conservation of the environment and involve local communities.”
The UK currently has the lowest amount of wooded areas in Europe and the Government’s directive of ‘tree planting sooner, rather than later’ in the widely accepted Low Carbon Transition Plan advocates tree planting and aims to dramatically alter how future UK landscapes look.
Hamish Thomson, a Woodland Trust woodland creation adviser who will be collaborating with DE, added:
“Our vision is for the UK to be rich in native woods and trees that are enjoyed and valued by everyone. Woodland and trees deliver a host of benefits, enhancing the landscape and improving the environment for people and wildlife, absorbing and storing carbon, sheltering crops and buildings as well as providing a source of wood fuel and timber. This partnership has the potential to make a significant contribution towards our ambitious target of doubling native tree cover.”
Notes for editors:
1. Defence Estates (DE) is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) organisation. On 1 April 2005 it was re-launched with responsibilities for managing the defence estate as a corporate asset on behalf of the MOD, and for the delivery of estate maintenance, works and services. Defence Estates assumed responsibility for the management and maintenance of the Service Families Accommodation estate in the mainland UK on 1 April 2004, following its merger with the Defence Housing Executive.
2. DE manages around 240,000 hectares of land on behalf of the MOD. Over two-thirds of this land is considered ‘rural estate’ and is held solely for the purpose of training the armed forces. The organisation’s top priority is supporting the UK’s Armed Forces and ensuring they have safe sustainable areas to train for the challenging tasks we ask them to do, including ongoing operations in Afghanistan.