Policy Paper Emergency Tree Plan for the UK How to increase tree cover and address the nature and climate emergency January 2020 Policy Paper An Emergency Tree Plan for the UK. How to increase tree cover and address the nature and climate emergency. 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, Phil Formby/WTML devolved administrations and hundreds of local councils have declared a climate emergency. As the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, this document 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 #EmergencyTreePlan 2 Policy Paper Ian Hinchliffe/Alamy Stock Photo Stock Hinchliffe/Alamy Ian • Target public money investment in new tree cover to Key recommendations of the maximise public goods like wildlife. Emergency Tree Plan for the UK • Public forest estates and other public land must lead the way in showing how to integrate climate action with National and local governments across the UK must: nature recovery. Look after the trees we have. • Grow the nature-based carbon offset market for • Protect and restore existing trees and native woodland. unavoidable emissions. • Invest in UK tree nurseries now to enable a rapid • Combine forestry and woodland strategies alongside expansion of UK-grown trees to reduce disease risk of agriculture in an overall land-use strategy that enables importing trees. new land for trees as a priority. • Improve biosecurity at the border. • Provide landowners with financial support for the natural Create new policies, capacity and funding for woods and regeneration of woodland. trees. Take local authority action: • Set new country annual targets on a path to reach 19% UK • Each Local Authority to write an Emergency Tree Plan to woodland cover by 2050. identify land for trees, and set annual expansion targets, • Combine quantity and quality targets for new tree cover whilst protecting existing native woodland and trees. to ensure it stores carbon, supports the recovery of wildlife • Ensure all development land includes a minimum 30% tree and benefits people. canopy cover. • Deliver an emergency increase in capacity in tree and These recommendations are covered in more detail in woodland teams at all levels of national and local section 7. government. The Emergency Tree Plan for the UK 3 1. Introduction The UK is staring down the barrel of twin existential crises; climate change and biodiversity collapse. This Woodland’s vital statistics country needs to take urgent action to prevent irreversible C damage. Woodland expansion on a massive scale will play 1.50 - The maximum global temperature 5 a huge role in addressing these challenges. rise to avoid environmental catastrophe Trees capture carbon and woodlands provide habitats where biodiversity can flourish. The science is unequivocal, 2% - UK land mass covered by ancient 6 but the UK’s speed of response needs to accelerate woodland dramatically to prevent irredeemable loss from today’s climate emergency. 7% - UK native woodland cover7 As the clock ticks, recent reports1,2, have issued a series of stark warnings to the world. The Intergovernmental Panel 13% - UK woodland cover of all types8 on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that we only have until 2030 to design and implement policies that can limit 19% - Woodland cover recommended by the global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Committee on Climate Change if the UK is to be 9 Every part of the UK is committed to playing its part in carbon neutral by 2050 reaching a legal target of ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. To achieve this extremely challenging goal, the 1.5 million - Hectares of additional country needs to act immediately. woodland required by 2050 if the UK is to meet 10 Its first step should be a major increase in carefully its carbon neutral target targeted tree cover and the restoration of other habitats, such as peatlands. 0.4 million - Hectares of additional UK 3 woodland by 2050 if planting rates remain the The catastrophic collapse in both UK and global 11 biodiversity reinforces the case for a huge expansion in same as 2018/19 native tree cover and better protection and management of existing woodlands. Over half of the 1,285 woodland 84% - The proportion of the UK public who species tracked by the UK’s State of Nature report are agree with the statement “a lot more trees in decline, in particular those which rely on structurally should be planted” in response to climate 12 diverse native woodlands4. One in 10 of the country’s change woodland species is in danger of extinction. The good news is that there is a potential win-win here. 3,781 million - Tonnes of CO2 13 The UK can help to tackle both its local biodiversity equivalent currently removed by UK forests collapse and the global climate crisis by protecting, restoring and massively expanding its native woodland 53% - Proportion of UK woodland wildlife and tree cover. And well located tree cover can also reduce species in decline14 the risk of flooding; create thousands of new jobs; provide sustainable timber; and of course, make people happier, 95% - Proportion of the UK public who value and healthier. woodlands for their wildlife value.15 This will be a challenge, it will cost money, and it will involve tough choices, but the UK is standing at an environmental crossroads. This short report explains the best strategy to address the climate emergency through trees and woods, and how to extract maximum benefits from this strategy for both nature and people. This is an emergency tree plan for the nation. References 1 www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ 2 www.theccc.org.uk/publication/net-zero-the-uks-contribution-to-stopping-global-warming 3 www.ipbes.net/global-assessment-biodiversity-ecosystem-services 4 www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/projects/state-of-nature-reporting 4 Policy Paper 2. How trees and woods help the 2. Helping cities cope with climate change Scientists at the cutting edge of climate change forecast UK respond to the climate and major environmental, health and economic problems in coming years due to the overheating of urban buildings biodiversity crises and urban areas. Trees in gardens, streets, schools, parks Trees and woodland ecosystems play a triple role in and other publicly accessible places provide shade; reduce helping the country respond to climate change through: air and ground temperatures; improve air quality by 1. Capturing unavoidable emissions absorbing pollutants; and help to mitigate surface water 16 It is vital that all parts of the UK economy and society flooding . The cooling shade of trees and water saved the achieve urgent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. UK £248 million by maintaining productivity and lowering 17 Where emissions are unavoidable, trees and woodland air conditioning costs on hot days in 2017 . ecosystems are essential for capturing those gases. 3. Helping the UK countryside cope with climate change Trees and soil lock up carbon dioxide and absorb highly One of the major consequences of climate change for damaging pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide and nitrous wildlife is that conditions within their current ranges oxides. A wide diversity of site-appropriate tree species become unsuitable. Bigger, better and more joined up is required to remove and store greenhouse gases. Farms woodlands are important to help many species move and can accommodate more tree planting in ways which adapt in response to changing conditions. support farming objectives, including the diversification of income streams, reducing soil erosion and supporting crop In rural areas, trees can provide shade and shelter for farm pollinators. Trees can also play a role in the interception livestock, help to prevent soil erosion, and moderate the and capture of ammonia emissions. And planting tree microclimate of crops. Strategically placed trees can also belts can buffer ancient woodland sites from existing help to alleviate flooding through intercepting rainfall and sources of pollution. increasing percolation rates into the soil. Phil Formby/WTML References 5 IPCC, 2018: Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global green- house gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P.R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J.B.R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M.I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, and T. Water eld (eds.)]. The Emergency Tree Plan for the UK 5 3. The current woodland creation situation Woodland planting has increased in the UK in recent years, primarily due to increases in Scotland, according to Forest Research data18. The other countries within the UK have recorded very low rates of woodland creation. The percentage of woodland cover19 in the UK stands at 13% (10% in England, 15% in Wales, 19% in Scotland and 8% in Northern Ireland).