Woodland indicators by parliamentary constituency 1 Contents Introduction 3 The data in this document explained 4 Ancient woods under threat 4 Tree packs for communities and schools 6 Access to woodland for all 8 Woodland cover 10 Ancient and veteran trees 12 What next? 14 Data breakdown by constituency 16 2 Natural capital made real istock Introduction Woods and trees face an uncertain future across (NCC) and most recently the Office for National the UK. However, one thing we can be certain of is Statistics (ONS). In the NCC’s third report it that the UK is one of the least wooded countries found a strong economic case for planting large in Europe, with only 13% coverage compared to a areas of trees in the right places. It estimated European average of 37%. Trees and woods continue that 250,000 hectares planted close to towns to disappear from our landscapes at such a rate that and cities can generate societal net benefits in it could leave the UK facing potential deforestation. excess of £500m a year. Meanwhile the ONS has stipulated that woods are the most valuable form We now know more than ever about all that of carbon sequestration in the UK and absorb woods and trees do for us. Research carried out by more than £1.8bn of carbon dioxide every year. The Europe Economics for the Woodland Trust placed Committee on Climate Change’s 2019 report1 on the total value of services provided by woods and combatting global warming called for woodland trees to society at £270bn. Native trees provide cover in the UK to increase to 17% by 2050, and many public benefits (ecosystem services), such as we’re currently a long way off that target. improving physical and mental health, air quality, water quality, water management (reducing It is vital that the Government’s plans for nature, flooding), soil retention, agricultural productivity, including any investment decisions across shading, cooling (through evapotranspiration) and Government, reflect such evidence. oxygen production, as well as the more obvious The Woodland Trust aims to bring the benefits of benefits of improving biodiversity and carbon native woods and trees to all. From protecting and sequestration. restoring our ancient and richly diverse existing The importance of woods and trees has been woodland habitats to creating new green spaces amply illustrated by many organisations in recent and access to woods, our vision is a UK rich in native years, including the Natural Capital Committee woods and trees, enjoyed and valued by everyone. 3 The data explained Over the last four decades, the Woodland Trust has planted hundreds of woods and millions of trees. We have built up an inventory of ancient and veteran trees, and fought threats to ancient woodland from development proposals. Our schools and community tree pack scheme has enabled thousands of people to improve and cherish green spaces, while our work continues to champion the case for improved access to woodland. But with your support we can achieve much more. This document tracks how woods and trees fare within parliamentary constituencies across Britain against a number of key indicators. It is intended to be a useful starting point and inspiration for further discussion around how to better protect and promote woods and trees across the country. The data presently available includes that for England, Wales and Scotland. However, all of the work detailed within this document applies across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland. Ancient woods under threat Ancient woodland is our richest terrestrial habitat volunteers who monitor threats to ancient woodland for wildlife. It is home to more threatened species locally and assist in building the case to save them. than any other, and represents the last fragments Our resources don’t presently allow us to check of the wildwood that once cloaked our country and respond to every application from all the local after the last Ice Age. Now ancient woodland has planning authorities in the UK. Our Woods under been reduced to a fraction of its former extent and Threat database only records the threats covers only 2% of the UK. It is increasingly under that we know about. It is therefore simply a threat from development in the form of housing, snapshot of the various threats to ancient infrastructure and HS2, and keeping abreast of woodland of which we are aware and does not planning applications registered across the UK is claim to be the complete picture; however, to becoming even more challenging. our knowledge it is the only one of its kind. This The Woodland Trust’s Woods under Threat team document uses Woods under Threat data from the consists of three members of staff who respond eight-year period July 2011-19 and illustrates why to over 150 cases of threats to ancient woodland we need to ensure local planning authorities use the each year. This is complemented by a network of strengthened planning protection. WTML Map © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100021607. 100021607. Licence number Survey Ordnance reserved. All rights 2019. Copyright © Crown Map 4 Constituencies are listed alphabetically from Woods under threat 2019 page 16, where you can Range find their corresponding map reference number. 19-38 (17) This map is not an 9-19 (36) accurate representation of constituency location. 3-9 (92) 1-2 (123) 0 (364) Map © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100021607. 100021607. Licence number Survey Ordnance reserved. All rights 2019. Copyright © Crown Map 5 Tree packs for communities and schools The Woodland Trust provides tens of thousands of tree packs to participating school and community groups in November and March each year, when the saplings are ready to plant. They offer the Beech WTML/Christopher perfect opportunity to bring people together while encouraging beautiful wildlife, community involvement with nature and many other benefits to local areas. Our data shows how many tree packs were supplied to constituencies in Britain in 2018. You can apply for our tree packs online and any enquiries about the scheme can be directed to us by email: [email protected] WTML Map © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100021607. 100021607. Licence number Survey Ordnance reserved. All rights 2019. Copyright © Crown Map 6 Constituencies are listed Tree packs for communities and alphabetically from Tree packs requested in schools page 16, where you can 2018 find their corresponding Range The Woodland Trust provides tens of thousands of map reference number. tree packs to participating school and community This map is not an 13-100 (120) groups in November and March each year, when accurate representation 8-13 (218) the saplings are ready to plant. They offer the of constituency location. 1-8 (286) perfect opportunity to bring people together while encouraging beautiful wildlife, community 0 (8) involvement with nature and many other benefits to local areas. Our data shows how many tree packs were supplied to constituencies in Britain in 2018. You can apply for our tree packs online and any enquiries about the scheme can be directed to us by email: [email protected] Map © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100021607. 100021607. Licence number Survey Ordnance reserved. All rights 2019. Copyright © Crown Map 7 Access to woodland for all Compelling international evidence is demonstrating Woodland Trust publication Space for People: what many people know intuitively: that woods and targeting action for woodland access. trees are an essential part of life, and something According to the Woodland Access Standard we need more of. Access to woodland has been (endorsed by the Forestry Commission), no person shown to have social and economic benefits such as should live more than 500m from at least one improved health and wellbeing, improved air quality, area of accessible woodland of no less than 2ha the promotion of social cohesion and increased in size. There should also be at least one area of inward investment and property values. accessible woodland of no less than 20ha within 4km of people’s homes. This is intended to be an This documents sets out the percentage of the aspirational benchmark and some flexibility and population in each constituency that meets the local assessment is needed in its interpretation. ‘Woodland Access Standard’, though it should be noted that the woodland itself may fall within a Currently only 18.2% of the population of Britain bordering constituency boundary. The data is taken lives within 500m of accessible woodland. from the research used to compile the updated The amount of woodland recorded as accessible has changed over time, owing to improved data and woodland created by the Woodland Trust and others. Jill Jennings/WTML Map © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100021607. 100021607. Licence number Survey Ordnance reserved. All rights 2019. Copyright © Crown Map 8 Constituencies are listed alphabetically from Percentage of population page 16, where you can who have accessible find their corresponding woodland within 500m of map reference number. where they live This map is not an accurate representation Range % of constituency location. 40–100 20-39 16-19 1-15 0 The amount of woodland recorded as accessible has changed over time, owing to improved data and woodland created by the Woodland Trust and others. Map © Crown Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100021607. 100021607. Licence number Survey Ordnance reserved. All rights 2019. Copyright © Crown Map 9 Woodland cover The national average for woodland cover in the UK own land, and we work with others to help them is only 13%, compared to an EU average of 37%.