Tree planting debate
I found Richard Mabey’s article on tree planting (Should we stop planting trees? February 2020) very interesting and well-balanced. From working in countryside management, I’ve seen the urge to ‘help’ woodland regeneration with planting, even where non-intervention is a better approach. Like Richard, I worry that impulsive planting merely looks good from a publicity point of view and as a vain attempt to speed up long-term conservation objectives. Equally, we can’t ignore the significant impact of deer on woodland regeneration in Britain, so complete non-intervention may not be viable either.
Phil Maund, via email
There seems to be quite a lot of debate regarding the benefits of planting trees. I have read about both sides of the argument, but I am undecided.
However, what is clear to me is that the way trees are planted cannot continue. In central Scotland, there are areas of planted trees on every corner, and on many roadside verges. Plastic trees guards are strangling these trees, or are lying on the ground. The trees are growing at odd angles and do not look like healthy specimens. The organisations that planted them are probably long gone, and the countryside is now full of plastic woodlands. There must be a better way. Yvette Carson, via email
I like Richard’s call to think more about natural regeneration. But should we simply stop planting trees and leave nature to set its course? The answer is sometimes yes, but not always. In the UK, we face the triple challenge of restoring nature, responding to climate change, and providing
more of the food and forest products that we need – all on limited land. Used in different ways, trees have a huge role in this. Where we want natural processes to dominate, natural regeneration is a good option. But if, for example, seed sources are lacking or soil erosion needs to be quickly halted, or if the products we need are best supplied by particular species, then planting works. And let’s remember that whatever we propose, the local people affected deserve to have a say on what’s best for them.
Dr James Gordon, Forest Advisor for WWF-UK