WE ALL NEED TREES
JOIN THE WOODLAND TRUST’S MOREWOODS SCHEME AND REAP THE REWARDS
Even for those of us who live in towns and cities, trees are such a consistent part of our day-to-day landscape that it’s easy to take them for granted and assume they’re in ample supply. But the reality is that the UK is actually one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with our tree covering standing at 13 percent compared to the continent’s average of 38 percent.
“Trees play a crucial part in improving soil health and water quality, reducing carbon, trapping pollutants, slowing the flow of flood water, sheltering livestock, providing timber, biomass and a home for wildlife, and giving us space to breathe,” says John Tucker, the Woodland Trust’s Director of Woodland Outreach. “But with increased losses of trees to pests, disease and development and fewer new trees being planted, if we don’t start doing something now, our landscape – both rural and urban – could look very different in 10 to 15 years.”
You can help keep the UK’s tree population thriving while enjoying many benefits yourself. Since its launch in 2010, the Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme has seen the creation of more than 2,000 hectares of woodland and the planting of more than two million trees. The Woodland Trust can offer expert tailored advice as well as grants and funding. It plants a wide range of native species, with every sapling sourced and grown in the UK, and the Trust can provide the best species mix for your site.
The presence of trees not only supports biodiversity but also increases the potential use and productivity of land, giving you crops of fruit, nuts, timber or woodfuel. Planting a mix of native tree species on your land will help to make it more resilient to tree disease, reduce flooding and soil erosion, and provide homes for our precious wildlife. Anyone wanting to plant a minimum of 0.5ha of land can sign up to MOREwoods, and the Woodland Trust will contribute up to 60 percent of the set-up costs. For larger sites the Trust can also arrange for contractors to plant the trees for you.
“TREES PLAY A CRUCIAL PART IN IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH AND WATER QUALITY”