Broadleaf autumn issue: it packs a crunch!

The latest Broadleaf is hot off the press and full of surprises, as we travel from the busy streets of Belfast to the remote foothills of Ben Nevis in search of inspiring stories about trees.

We unveil the £3 million programme that’s bringing life-giving leaf cover to the UK’s towns and cities, scour the Highlands for some of Britain’s smallest species, and meet a famous new convert to the Woodland Trust cause.

Trees for all

Urban trees reduce air pollution, quieten noise and keep our cities shaded and cool. They can even boost house prices by up to 18%. The only trouble is, this green dividend is not felt everywhere, with Trust research revealing that more than 10,000 neighbourhoods are sorely deprived of their share. Read how we’re putting this right by:

• launching a four-year planting programme to transform tree-free estates, schools and parks – all led by the communities who live there
• partnering with the National Trust to add vibrant new green space to 100 new ‘Nature Towns and Cities’ UK-wide
• challenging the local councils which sacrifice precious street trees in the name of subsidence – when other factors are very often to blame.

The bonsai forest

Knee-high Scots pines, shin-tickling willows… and all of them fully grown. Britain’s montane woodland is a curious miniature kingdom where gnarled and twisted trees have evolved to survive mountain altitudes, whipping winds and meagre soils. Discover how we’re reviving this charismatic habitat, thanks to:

• a crew of hardy tree-hunters who are snooping out seed and snipping off cuttings to propagate saplings for the hills
• a determined young ecologist who’s catalogued the extreme biodiversity these shrubby places support, from micro-moths to ‘blue robins’
• the 20,000 trees added to our flagship site in the Yorkshire Dales, showcasing how montane woods could return to the English Pennines.

And there’s more!

Elsewhere in this issue, find out how a music legend, a marathon swimmer and the UK’s foremost nature writer are devoting their money, minds and muscle to a future rich in woods and wildlife…

• King of pop Nile Rodgers flies in from New York armed with a ‘disco spade’, as he partners with us to create both sanctuaries for nature and opportunities for young conservationists.
• Wonder woman Morag Hughes takes the plunge at icy Loch Arkaig to swim with ospreys and raise cash for our resuscitation of its rare Caledonian pine forests.
• Robert Macfarlane, bard of Britain’s wild places, makes a rousing call for a return to a more abundant nature.

Oh, and there’s some cheering news from Surrey, where one of our most cherished tree species is fighting back against the deadly ash dieback epidemic. All this and more in the latest edition of Broadleaf, free to members of the Woodland Trust.

Broadleaf is our magazine exclusive to Trust members. Its inspirational writing and stunning photography tell the inside story of how we, our members, volunteers and partners stand up for trees. To receive your regular copy, become a member now.