Why plant more trees?
Put simply by the Woodland Trust – “Woods and Trees are essential. For People. For Wildlife. For Life”. The Big Climate Fightback. Threats to woodland, wildlife and the wider environment are growing.
Our trees and woods face a challenging combination of pressures, including:
• climate change
• inappropriate development
• pollution
• a growing population in a predominantly urban environment
• attack from deadly tree diseases and pests
• Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS)
• browsing by livestock and deer
Ancient woods and trees are some of our most valuable natural assets. They are irreplaceable and home to many vulnerable and threatened species. Trees bring nature to the heart of our communities in the form of food and habitat for wildlife, help clean and cool the air, capture and soak up carbon, provide timber products, reduce flooding, and improve people’s physical and mental health. Urban trees play a pivotal role in creating healthy and economically successful communities and places for people and wildlife to live.
The Environment Bill was published by the Government in October 2019. This policy statement puts the environment at the center of policy making. It brings about urgent and meaningful action to deal with the environmental and climate crisis we are facing. It sets an ambitious framework to help deliver on the government’s commitment to be the first generation to leave our environment in a better state. See Appendix A for more information about Government and Local Policies.