Realising the Benefits of Trees, Woods and Forests in the East of England a Woodlandforlife Publication Contents

Realising the benefits of trees, woods and forests in the East of England A Woodlandforlife Publication Contents Contents 2 6. Woodland and the Environment 22 Biodiversity 23 1. Introduction 3 Landscape 23 Background 3 Soils 24 Why plan for trees, woodland and forests? 4 Water quality, water management and supply, air quality 24 Vision 4 Current policy drivers 4 7. Support, advice and opportunities 26 2. East of England Woodland and Trees Monitoring Progress 26 – valuable assets 5 Business and Corporate Planning 26 Ecosystems services – natural benefits 6 Follow up process 27 History and Heritage 8 Opportunities for realising the benefits of trees and woodland 27 Threats 8 8. Case Studies 29 3. Trees and the Climate Change 10 Woodfuel – pioneering green firm launched 29 Impact of climate change 10 Center Parcs 29 Mitigation 10 Branching Out 30 Adaptation 11 Recreation – get fit and go green Renewable energy 11 city park project 30 Khush dil (happy heart) 30 4. Woodland – The Economic benefits 13 Forest for Peterborough 30 Timber and wood products 13 Torbay – putting a value on trees 31 Recreation and Tourism 15 Thetford loops 31 Field sports and game 16 Marston Vale – Community Forest 32 Housing and industry 16 Clinks Care Farm – Norfolk County Council 32 Flooding 16 Slowing the flow 33 5. Woodland and Communities 17 Annex 1 34 Health and wellbeing 17 Recreation and access 18 Annex 2 34 Green Infrastructure 18 References 35 Education 19 Equality and diversity 19 Footnotes 35 Community Engagement – Big society 20 Built environment 20 Monitoring and Action Group members and advisors 36 Credits 36 Please use the buttons above to navigate to the relevant section 2 1. Introduction 1 Trees and woodland provide Background 5 Much of the content has been significant benefits to the social, economic This document follows on from Woodland underpinned by an updated Woodland and environmental fabric of the East For Life (2003) the Woodland Strategy for Wealth Appraisal undertaken by Dr John of England and have an increasingly the East of England1 (an area consisting Powell and his team of the Countryside important role in climate change mitigation of the counties of Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Community Research Unit of the and adaptation. Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and the University of Gloucestershire. Their original Unitary Authorities of Bedford, Central report was published as the “Wood Bank” n The social benefits relate Bedfordshire, Luton, Peterborough, of the East of England to improved physical and Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock). The www.woodlandforlife.net mental health, enhanced living Strategy stimulated over 150 successful 6 The MAG has determined that environments, increased community projects with beneficial economic, social although the six themes reflected in the pride, recreation, education and and environmental outcomes, some of 2003 document are still valid, policy and community engagement. which are summarised in the Progress priorities have changed; climate change n Economic benefits, in addition Report 2007. and economic growth are now seen as to employment and the value of 4 The Monitoring and Action group key priorities. With the East of England timber, include positive influences (MAG) is the partnership steering the likely to be most affected by climate on inward investment, increased Woodland for Life project. The partnership change, communities will need to find property values, reduced energy involves the Country Land and Business ways of addressing this challenge through costs, assist in transition to low Association, COVER, Department of adaptation and mitigation. Several recent carbon economy, regeneration of Health, East of England Local Government Government and other publications such derelict and damaged land, and Association. East of England Development as the Low Carbon Transition Plan2, the tourism. Agency, English Heritage, Environment “Read Report”3 and the Carbon Plan n The environmental benefits include Agency, Forestry Commission, FC set out quite clearly the important role that carbon sequestration, renewable Regional Advisory Committee, Green Light trees have to play. energy, biodiversity, the historic Trust, Natural England, Norfolk County 7 This draft paper has set out to reflect environment, landscape, pollution Council, RSPB, Suffolk County Council, some of the existing six themes from the abatement, soil conservation and Writtle College. protection of water resources. Woodland For Life document, albeit with some differing emphasis and to bring into 2 These benefits are frequently focus how trees can help with the issue not fully recognised and there is great of climate change. potential to bring increased benefits to more people. 3 This document sets out the kind of benefits that can be delivered by trees woodland and forests and suggest ways or provide case studies of how benefits may be realised or widened. The intended audience is anyone who seeks to help communities garner the potential from existing or proposed woodland. It should also be an aid to help enable those with specific duties relating to climate change adaptation or biodiversity to meet those duties. It is not intended to be prescriptive in any way, but to provide pointers to opportunities and possible partnerships which may be generated between woodland managers and landowners, local communities and non-governmental organisations, forestry and woodland businesses, local authorities and the wider public sector. Click here to return to Contents 3 8 Vision Throughout this document the The benefits of trees basis of all suggestions will remain 11 The vision behind this document sustainable woodland management, the and woodland is that: communities, businesses, and overall term used for describing how the a. Recreational opportunities, local authorities in the East of England use of woodlands can best contribute b. Health improvement, make the most of the benefits that trees towards the Government’s strategies for and woodland bring to the economy, c. Enhancement of the beauty of the sustainable development. to society, for the environment and countryside, addressing climate change. 9 4 The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) d. Protection of historic assets, sets out the criteria and standards for the sustainable management of all e. Revitalisation of derelict and Current policy drivers forests and woodlands in the UK. It is degraded landscapes, 12 There is a plethora of legislation, the centrepiece of a system to guide f. Improved settings for housing and agreements and policies at global, and monitor forestry. It is linked to the industry creating a sense of place European and national levels related developing international protocols for g. Supply of timber and other to trees, woods and forests. Whilst it sustainable forestry; see Annex 1. products, is not possible to list all those relevant they cover a range of subjects including h. Exploitation of food resources, Why plan for trees, forestry, rural and urban living, sustainable i. Opportunities for tourism and sport, woodland and forests? development, renewable energy, j. Employment generation, environmental issues and land use. 10 Trees and woodlands provide a Policy documents that have a bearing on k. A source of renewable energy, wide range of benefits, more than any woodland and woodland management other land use can boast. However to get l. Educational resources, are listed in Annex 2. the most benefits out of these valuable m. Habitat and wildlife conservation, assets it is worth looking at the different 13 There has been recognition of the ways they can be used and in what n. Pollution reduction, importance of ecosystems services as circumstances they may add value to a o. Removal of carbon dioxide from the highlighted in the consultation document, project or community – economically, atmosphere and carbon storage “An invitation to shape the Nature of socially and environmentally. England”5; this could prompt a genuine p. Protection and improvement of soil boost to valuing trees and the contribution and water quality they make to our well being. q. Flood attenuation r. Climate change adaptation in urban areas Click here to return to Contents 4 2. East of England Woodland and Trees – valuable assets Table 1. Summary of Woodland Wealth as at 2010 14 The recent Woodland Wealth Appraisal 20106 updated and built on the Market benefits £ millions ‘Woodbank’ published in 2003 which Field sports and game 81.0 attempted to put a monetary value on Timber and wood products 345.5 the ‘natural benefits’ which the existing Recreation and tourism 550 woodland in the East of England provide. These natural benefits provided by Housing and industry 30.6 environmental assets are often difficult to Other benefits quantify, but they underpin the welfare of Air quality and water management 33.5 society and its supporting economy. Biodiversity 71 15 Woodland has a role in providing Carbon sequestration (annual figure) 41 valuable opportunities to benefit human Health costs avoided (19.5) health and well being, our economic Education costs avoided (1.23) sustainability, maintaining environmental assets and addressing the imperatives Landscape 124 driven by climate change. The estimated TOTAL WEALTH £1,297.3 or 1.3 billion value of woodland in the East of England Carbon asset stocks 3,306 is put at £1.3 billion; this is a midpoint value estimate and represents the level of wealth generated by forest and woodland 18 There are a large number of 20 The percentage of this that has been each year. designated and undesignated parklands, designated as ancient semi-natural areas of wood-pasture and historic (i.e. it has existed relatively unchanged in 16 There are about 144,000 hectares landscapes, in which trees and species composition since at least 1600) of woodland in the East of England, or woodlands play a major part, many are of is higher than the national average. As 7.6% of the total land area. In addition, international importance. English Heritage well as being a very important nature there are approximately 13.5 million trees maintains a register of parks and gardens.

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