Online commitment to double native woodland sought by the Woodland Trust
A new ‘Growing the Future’ manifesto is launched today by the Woodland Trust in an urgent bid to ensure the UK’s native woods and trees take firm root in the General Election debate.
It is calling on all political parties to adopt a target of doubling native woodland cover in the UK over the next 50 years, in order to realise the potential of woods to tackle a wide range of policy challenges in one of the least wooded countries in Europe.
The Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, has issued a six point manifesto. It is calling on candidates and their party leaders to sign an online commitment to support expansion of tree cover during the life of the new Parliament.
It argues that such a commitment should be part of the wider strategy for tackling climate change mitigation and adaptation, protecting vulnerable wildlife habitats, improving public health – both physical and mental – and shaping places in which people want to live, work and spend their leisure time.
Members of the public are also being encouraged to use the online tool on the Trust’s website to write to their local candidates to ensure that tree planting and creation of native woodland and its many benefits are an issue at the election and beyond.
It has powerful arguments. Natural England’s Natural Health Service manifesto estimates that if every household in England had good access to quality green space it could save around £2.1 billion annually from the £110 billion annual spend on health care.
A study by the Mersey Forest Partnership found that the region can expect to reap more than £10 worth of health and other benefits for every £1 invested in the network of trees, woodland and green spaces being created across Merseyside and Cheshire, bringing a total saving of £2 million to the North West.
Dr James Cooper, head of Government Affairs at the Woodland Trust said: “The time has come for all of us to grasp the fact that woods and trees are not a luxury and just an aesthetically pleasing addition to the landscape, but have a vital role to play in securing our future quality of life.
“Trees are a key part of our life support system and the green lungs of our towns and cities.
“They clean our air, store carbon, can alleviate flood waters and the combination of direct shade and evaporative cooling can reduce the urban ‘heat island’ effect in our increasingly hotter summers.”
There is also growing consensus among health professionals that we all, and children in particular, benefit in terms of physical and emotional health by engaging with nature, yet 40% of seven-11 year olds have never visited a wood. At present 85% of the UK population do not have access to a wood within easy walking distance, reducing the incentive to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Dr Cooper continues: “Studies show that a simple walk in the woods can lower the heart rate and relieve psychological stress, and children growing up in tree-lined streets are less likely to suffer from asthma and other respiratory diseases.
“In all these areas, trees should be seen as offering genuine value for money when you consider how many agendas they can deliver across.”
The benefits of woodland creation already feature in both the Government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan and the 2009 ‘Read Report’ on the role of UK forests in combating climate change as a cost-effective means of locking up carbon and climate adaptation.
Supporting research abounds, including a study by the University of Manchester which showed that increasing tree cover in urban areas by 10% reduces surface water run-off by almost 6% and urban surface temperatures by as much as 4°C.
The UK has just 11.8% woodland cover compared to the European average of 44%. Despite this, levels of native woodland creation in England have halved in the last six years and much of our remaining woodland heritage remains vulnerable to development pressures and degradation. Ancient woodland, the UK’s equivalent of the rainforest, covers just 2% of our landmass, yet it is home to more threatened species than any other UK habitat and is irreplaceable.
The Manifesto makes five further recommendations which are available at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/manifesto
Notes to editors:
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
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.
Further news can be found via this website.
For media enquiries contact: Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, email: fionamoss@woodlandtrust.org.uk
For campaign enquiries contact: campaigns@woodlandtrust.org.uk