As a member of the Woodland Trust, I always enjoy receiving the Newsletter. This month it is packed with lots of information about how woodlands and planting trees can help in the fight against climate change.
The leader article is by member Malcolm Jones who tells us about the haven for wildlife he’s built over the last three year. He describes his project, which is reproduced from the Woodland Trust Newsletter, as follows.
“I’ve always been passionate about nature, particularly trees. In May 2019, I bought nine acres in the Hindburn Valley, Forest of Bowland – seven acres of rough sloping pasture and two acres of ancient woodland. The existing woodland has a beck running through it in a deep ravine, and consists of sessile oak, birch, beech and rowan with an understorey of holly and hazel. In May it’s carpeted with bluebells, to which I’ve added native daffodils and snowdrops.
In February 2020, with huge support and a grant from the Woodland Trust, I planted 3,000 native trees. Sixteen species in all, ranging from oak and Scot’s pine to hawthorn and hazel. With the help of an experienced local tree planter and his team, five of us completed the job in three and a half days. Just weeks before the first lockdown.
In the three growing seasons since, I’ve been staggered by the amount of growth – birch already 10 to 12 feet high and rowans in full bloom! The downside has been damage done by local roe deer which are common in the valley. They seem to have a special taste for hazel and field maple. But I’ve slowly replaced tree protectors with longer tubes which does the trick.
Several areas have been left without trees to naturally re-wild, supplemented by a pond and fed by field drains which I’ve dug. This is already well populated with frogs and predatory herons.
I’m very proud of and get immense pleasure from what I’ve achieved. A haven for wildlife, beautiful new woodland, which will complement and blend with adjacent ancient woodland, and my contribution to carbon capture. I am looking forward to how it will develop in the next few years and have left it in trust to my two children to safeguard it into the future.”
Emergency Tree Plan for the UK
In the 2019 General Election, every major political party backed the necessary increase in trees and woods in response to the climate and nature crisis. The Government’s climate change advisers have set a target of 17-19% woodland cover as a key part of the UK’s actions to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The decisions we make now about how and where we expand tree cover is an unprecedented opportunity to transform our nation into a better place for people and wildlife. The UK Parliament, devolved administrations and hundreds of local councils have declared a climate emergency. As the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity our Emergency Tree Plan for the UK should challenge and inspire all levels of government, and beyond, to help address the climate and nature emergency through trees and woods. This is an emergency tree plan, where we will play our part and invite others to join us and our partners in this critical response. Darren Moorcroft, Chief Executive The Woodland Trust
You can read the full Woodland Trust Emergency Tree Plan by clicking here
Article and pictures by Ronnie Auld
