Decline in new trees threatens our green and pleasant land

Record low in planting blamed on increasingly bureaucratic system of grants for landowners

ENGLAND could lose its reputation as a green and pleasant land, as so few trees were planted last year that three people could have done the job.

New figures from the Forestry Commission show that just 582 hectares (1,438 acres) of trees were planted in 2016 – the lowest number since records began in 1976. In 2013-14 almost 2,700 hectares were planted.

Some 887,000 trees were planted in the year. According to industry figures a professional can plant 1,000 trees each day, meaning that the year-long quota could have been achieved by three people working full-time.

This year just 63,000 trees were planted between January and March.

A government pledge to reach 12 per cent level of woodland coverage in England by 2060 is looking increasingly unlikely. Currently, 10 per cent of England is woodland and trees would need to be planted at around 10 times the current rate to hit the target.

It has also been pledged that 11million trees would be planted in England by 2020, but the figures show that just 1.4million have been since the last general election.

In March a damning report by the environment, food and rural affairs select committee said the current regulation of forests was “not fit for purpose”.

It found landowners who wish to plant a forest must negotiate a “complex and bureaucratic” system with three agencies, the Forestry Commission, Natural England and the Rural Payments Agency, administering the main government grant, the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

Stuart Goodall, the chief executive of Confor, which represents the forestry industry, said: “The proof of policy failure is the disastrous year for tree planting in 2016 – the worst on record. 2017 looks little better and we face a real prospect of deforestation – something we associate with the Amazon, not England.” The group is pushing for the Forestry Commission to take on sole responsibility for approving grants.

Thérèse Coffey, an environment minister, has said the Government will “easily” fulfil its pledge.

A spokesman for the Conservatives said: “Woodland cover in England is at its highest level since the 14th Century and between 2010 and 2015 we planted 11million trees, including one million trees in urban areas.

“We are proud of our work increasing tree cover even further and last November we opened the £19 million Woodland Carbon Fund to encourage more large-scale planting.”

The figures come as concerns have been raised that over-officious approaches to health and safety are causing trees to be felled unnecessarily.

In January residents of an estate in Cornwall complained that a mile-long stretch of beech trees had been cut down over concerns about branches falling in the path of motorists.

And last month locals protested after 20 trees planted in 1919 to commemorate victims of the First World War were earmarked for removal by Sheffield city council amid concerns about their overgrown roots.