West best place to boost England’s tree cover – FoE
Devon and Cornwall have huge potential to plant more trees, say green campaigners. Emily Beament reports
CORNWALL has the potential to play a major part in doubling the amount of land covered by trees across England, a new survey has revealed.
Green campaigning group Friends of the Earth and mapping company Terra Sulis – with funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery – say their research shows the massive increase in woodland can be achieved without intruding on important habitats or high value farmland.
And among the councils in Britain with the most opportunity to increase their woodland cover they point to Cornwall which they say could add a further 73,000 hectares (180,000 acres) and retain its farms and other important features. North Devon could plant a further 35,000 hectares, as could Dorset. West Devon and Torridge have space for more than 30,000 hectares each, while nearly 20,000 hectares could be planted in the South Hams, the researchers say.
The team behind the project have devised a map which shows both existing and potential woodland cover in every local authority in England. It shows that woodland cover could double across England, from a current level of 10%, while avoiding high-value arable land, priority habitats, peat bogs and protected nwature sites.
Other land avoided in the calculations included pasture land which has not been ploughed for a number of years and could be home to more diverse plant life.
Much of the opportunity for creating new woodland, which would absorb carbon emissions to tackle climate change, is on low grade pasture land, Friends of the Earth said – although some farmers and farm organistions argue that grazing livestock on low grade pasture land is as beneficial – for food production and the environment – as planting trees..
However Friends of the Earth said the mapping showed that it was crucial that the Government provides support and funding for farmers and local authorities to grow more trees on their land to help them tackle climate change.
Dozens of local authority areas have the potential to at least double their woodland cover. Some 20 council areas have the potential to quadruple woodlands and 34 could at least triple their wooded areas – many in the South West.
The mapping does not include the potential for trees in urban areas or those in parks and gardens, which could provide significantly more opportunities, Friends of the Earth said.
The map, which allows people to search for the potential to create new woodland cover in their local area so they can lobby their council for more trees, is being launched ahead of National Tree Week from November 30.
We’re calling on Forestry Minister Zac Goldsmith to set ambitious targets on tree cover DANNY GROSS, FOE
Friends of the Earth is calling for local councils to commit to boosting woodland cover and for a national target to be included in the England Tree Strategy, expected this winter.
Danny Gross, tree campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “We’re calling on Forestry minister Zac Goldsmith to mark next week’s National Tree Week by setting an ambitious target to boost tree cover in England.”
Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “I’m delighted that players of People’s Postcode Lottery are supporting research into woodland creation and tree planting.”
The map can be found at https:// takeclimateaction.uk/woodlandopportunity-mapping-england