Well Rounded View
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Planting more Trees in Scotland?
By Clive Anderson, President, The Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust has set an ambitious target to increase tree planting across Scotland with the launch of a new campaign called More Trees More Good. The aim is to double native tree cover across the country over the next 50 years.
Recent research confirms the enormous benefits to people, wildlife and the environment that comes from planting trees. To maximise these benefits, Scotland needs to plant something like 6,000 hectares of native trees a year.
Over time the trees we plant today will grow into beautiful woodland - a natural home to an array of wildlife, animals and plants. And a natural place for children to play and people of all ages to seek rest and relaxation
On a more down to earth level, in a world facing global warming, trees take in carbon dioxide, release oxygen and lock up carbon. They provide a natural defence against flooding, retain river banks and reduce soil erosion. They even create a sustainable supply of eco-friendly fuel.
The benefits of woodland creation already feature in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change delivery plan which was published in 2009 and the Scottish Forestry Strategy.
However, Scotland is still one of the least wooded countries in Europe with only 17% woodland cover (the European average is 25%). Less than a quarter of Scotland’s tree cover is comprised of native trees.
The Woodland Trust’s ambition to create more native woodlands is matched by the Scottish Government’s vision for forestry. The Scottish Forest Strategy states “ By the second half of this century, people are benefiting from Scotland’s trees, woods and forests, actively engaging with and looking after them for the use and enjoyment of generations to come. The Forestry resource has become a central part of our culture, economy and environment.”
The Scottish Government has set an ambitious target of 10,000-15,000 hectares of new tree planting per year.
In June, at the Low Carbon economy conference, Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment was quoted as saying “As the forest industries go from strength to strength there is a need to ensure that Scotland increases its level of planting… [it] is important to maintain sustainable economic growth and to ensure that we mesh this with our commitments to reduce our carbon emissions and tackle the effects of climate change.”
Despite such positive rhetoric, recent statistics suggest we are well short of this reality. New planting during the last planting season was only 2,700 hectares, well below the current target and well below the period between 1998 and 2009 where new planting averaged 7,000 hectares.
Such low figures can be attributed to the poor take up rate of the tree planting grants through the Scottish Rural Development Programme, but with the increase in rates last year and potential simplification of the process, we hope to see an increase in future years.
If the Trust’s ambition and the Government’s vision are to become a reality then this target will only be achieved with the help of farmers and other land managers.
Through our More Trees More Good campaign we hope to encourage more people to plant trees - not simply because they provide such a large range of benefits but because they are low cost and very good value for money. With four decades of experience, the Woodland Trust has the knowledge of putting the right trees in the right place, creating the right habitats and the ability to offer sound advice and guidance to a diverse range of landowners and stakeholders, which means everyone really can have the chance to plant trees.
With free advice, and practical help and guidance on accessing the current favourable tree planting grants through the SRDP, there has never been a better time to plant trees.
Clive Anderson
President, Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust Scotland, has been a Tods Murray client for over 25 years
View the Tods Murray press release, issued on 1 July 2010, containing a comment from Clive Anderson
View the Tods Murray press release celebrating the Woodland Trust Scotland’s silver anniversary in 2009
View Clive Anderson’s biography
View Sarah Cudworth’s profile – Sarah is Head of the Tods Murray Rural Property & Business team
View details of the Tods Murray Rural Property & Business services
View more details on The Woodland Trust and ‘More Trees, More Good’ campaign, or call 0845 293 5689