The growing importance of trees
‘Trees are fast breaking out of the woods and agroforestry systems are becoming increasingly popular’
With increasing demand on our timber industry, a potential shortage of future supplies and the significant effects of climate change, Jez Ralph, timber and forestry specialist at the Diverse Regeneration Company, looks at the benefits and the increasing importance of woodland planting for our farms, our community spaces and our urban settings.
IT seems that almost everywhere people are talking about the benefits of trees and woodlands and the increasing importance of trees within our landscape. So what better time than now to think about woodland planting schemes and planning for the future.
The government currently has ambitious plans for new-planting targets and there is also an increasing demand for timber and a focus on placing trees within agricultural units. So before planting any size of woodland, or bringing an existing woodland back into management, it is vital to decide what objectives are trying to be achieved. To reach these objectives could range from a few years or often a few decades and so without a clear focus to the future the trees are in danger of being badly planted, poorly managed or neglected and will cease to contribute any benefit.
For some, the objectives may be in helping the fight against climate change by offsetting their carbon use (trees are the most economical way to soak up and store carbon with photosynthesis doing all the hard work for us). For others it may be about enhancing the ecological diversity of a place or as a leisure resource to enjoy and exercise in within our towns and cities. Whereas timber growing will be important for those looking at long-term financial viability.
Significantly, woodlands can contribute to all of these at once if well planned; they can be a haven for biodiversity whilst also offering a diversified income, from bird watching and our general well-being to campsites; payments for flood-water retention or highly valuable construction timber.
The ‘woodland mix’ of our landscapes can be complex; native woodland, plantation forestry, hedgerows, agroforestry, individual trees – all of which can seem daunting to anyone considering new planting, but this complexity can also give great opportunities and benefits to those willing to take on the challenge.
Trees and woodland aren’t confined to our normal view of woodland anymore and the options for planting are numerous. These days, plantations don’t have to be the familiar dark ranks of conifer, but can be diverse woodlands of varied species and sizes of trees with softer edges creating good ecological diversity. Trees are fast breaking out of the woods and agroforestry systems are becoming increasingly popular. In these systems trees, often very widely spaced or in rows, are planted through fields, both pasture and arable. They provide animal shelter as well as long term soil health. They can offer diverse crops including nuts, fruit and timber. They will also enhance most agriculture systems rather than detract from them and can help cut costs and increase productivity. Traditional planting of native woodlands is as popular as ever and if well planned and planted correctly can now actively contribute to flood relief, helping stop runoff and prevent soil erosion, whilst also being incredibly diverse ecological habitats.
In many cases existing woodlands sit as remote “islands” of trees with limited uses and limited value. New planting, of whatever type alongside good planning, can connect these islands and often fragmented remnants of woodland, into expansive networks for wildlife, mixes of diversified income across catchments or wide-scale strategic ways to enhance the landscape.
Finally, we need to talk about carbon. Amongst all the benefits of tree planting, a huge push is underway to offset our carbon use through tree planting. From one side the government provides grants for planting. From the other, businesses are increasingly keen to pay for tree planting to offset their carbon use. In the future it is likely that the carbon in a tree, a natural result of a tree’s photosynthesis, will be tradeable, acting as a passive income for those that plant now.
Whatever the reason for planting woodlands, and whatever the size of land available, one thing is for certain; the rise of the importance of trees and woodlands and the numerous benefits they give, isn’t going to stop and those who choose to engage will reap the rewards of this old but new land use.