Life’s better with trees

Working with the West Weald

Landscape Partnership

Vision, Mission and Purpose

Our

Vision

A UK rich in native woods and trees, enjoyed and valued by everyone

Our Mission

To realise all the environmental, social and economic benefits woods and trees bring to society, we will:

Create woodland, championing the need for a doubling of the UK’s native woodland

Protect woodland, fighting to defend native woodland, especially irreplaceable ancient woodland. There should be no loss of ancient woodland for any reason

Restore woodland, ensuring the restoration of all damaged ancient woodland and the re-creation of native wooded landscapes

Our Purpose

To be the champion for trees and woods, a powerful voice for woodland, We will inspire every audience that can contribute significantly to our cause. We will care for and create woods ourselves and through others. We will be the ‘go to’ woodland conservation charity, the place to which people turn to support woodland. We will be noticed, trusted, remembered and loved.

Woodland and tree cover is still less than a third of the European average, and our woods are

largely small and fragmented.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

Biodiversity has

declined in our woods due to a

complex range of factors.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

Pressure for economic growth threatens the hard-won safeguards for ancient woods in the planning system.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

We are seeing increasing numbers of new pests and diseases threatening our forests and trees – like Phythophthora ramorum and Acute Oak Decline. Climate change might make this worse.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

Climate change is a huge issue. Woodland wildlife will find it difficult to adapt in our fragmented landscape. Uncertainty makes it difficult to plan ahead – both for conservationists and timber growers.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

Trees and woods could really help us mitigate and adapt to climate change.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

There are also many opportunities. Trees and woods are now being recognised for their contribution to “ecosystem services”.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

Economic opportunities for woods are on the rise through interest in woodfuel.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

The need to create more woodland is recognised – though not all governments in the UK have set targets to make this happen.

What does The State of the UK’s Forests, Woods and Trees report say?

Around 73% of the UK is farmed

There are around 323,000 agricultural land holdings in

the UK. Average size 50 ha

Why plant trees?

Trees have both private and public benefits

Shelter can reduce heating costs

Hot weather costs the US dairy industry $900 million per annum

Wheat yields can increase as a result of shelter, especially in dry years

39 crops grown in the UK need insect pollination

Trees in hedges support pollinating

insects

2.2 million tonnes of topsoil is eroded annually in the UK

Surface water runoff carries water, nutrients and soil away from the farm

Water infiltration is x60 greater under new woodland within 3 years of planting

Woodland creation can reduce flooding downstream

Barbastelle Bat

• Biology: black-brown upper fur, grey chest, joined ears, weighs 6-13g

• Habitat: wooded river valleys

• Diet: seeds, fruit, tree shoots, buds, flowers, berries

• Habits: nocturnal, forages over water, low flying, agile, roosts in trees

• Range: southern counties of England and Wales

• Status: rare in Britain

• Threats: loss of habitat, insecticides

Bechstein’s Bat

• Biology: pale brown upper fur, white chest, fairly long ears, weighs 7-13g

• Habitat: mainly broadleaf woodland

• Diet: moths, beetles, catches prey in flight or picks resting day-flying insects from leaves

• Habits: nocturnal, forages in enclosed vegetation, low flying, agile, roosts in tree holes

• Range: central south England

• Status: rare in Britain

• Threats: loss of habitat,

Hazel Dormouse

• Biology: golden-brown fur, large black eyes, long tail, weighs 15-35g

• Habitat: broadleaf woodland with scrub, large hedgerows

• Diet: hazelnuts, fruit, flowers, insects

• Habits: nocturnal, arboreal, rarely on ground, hibernates in winter

• Range: southern counties of England and Wales

• Status: once widespread, now rare

• Threats: Loss of habitat and food sources, starvation during winter

RESILIENT WOODSCAPES

An initiative for 2014-2016 Strategic Plan

WHAT IS IT?

• This initiative comprises a spatially targeted programme of on the ground activity through a combination of delivery methods including outreach, advice and support

a) to protect ancient woodland through the creation of healthy resilient wildlife-rich wooded landscapes able to resist the impacts of climate change, disease and development and

b) to deliver a broad range of ecosystem services to society through woodland conservation and expansion.

• The initiative will have at its core the protection of ancient woodland particularly

through buffering and linking of fragmented ancient woods through woodland creation, and the restoration of damaged ancient woods. But as well as focusing on resilience of ancient woodland for wildlife conservation, it also focuses on resilience for the purpose of delivering wider benefits to society as a whole through ecosystem services.

• It effectively draws together land based activity both direct delivery, advice and policy activity into an overall conservation programme for the Trust.

We highlight the need for everyone to become better connected with forests, woods and trees, to understand them as a fundamental part of living, working landscapes.

Thank you