Every year trees such as the oak, the horse chestnut and the beech, produce vast numbers of seeds from which hardly even one will make it to become itself a mature tree. Rather their seeds will be eaten by squirrels, birds, deer and – if they are there – pigs or wild boar. There is a balance between the food supplied and the number of creatures fed. But then once every few years, the trees produce an excessive number of seeds – a mast year. For this year only the supply of food exceeds consumers and from this crop, the next generation of trees may sprout. This fascinating understanding of supply and demand comes from Tristan Gooley’s book, How to Read a Tree, which I thoroughly recommend.
Carbon offsetting is akin to an accounting exercise where the carbon emissions released by one activity are offset – rebalanced – by another activity that sequesters – takes in – carbon dioxide. Typically this might be offsetting the carbon emissions from an air flight by as many planting trees as would absorb that quantity of carbon dioxide. The catch there is one of timing. The air flight produces emissions now but the tree will only absorb the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide over a number – tens of not hundreds – of years and a young sapling may in fact release more carbon dioxide than it absorbs. Another option it to offset the carbon emissions by not felling trees so allowing them to continue to absorb carbon dioxide – but that questions why the trees might have been felled in the first place.
In September of this year, the Sycamore Gap Tree was, through criminal action, chopped down. Previously a 400 year old oak was felled in Northamptonshire to make way for road improvements. A 600 year old oak was felled in Peterborough because it was damaging nearby buildings. A 250 year old wild pear tree was felled In Warwickshire to make way for HS2.
Should we treasure trees as much as we treasure buildings? Are they not an as important part of the landscape?
The Woodlands Trust is pressing “the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Governments to protect our most important trees by:
Legally protected heritage status for some of our most ancient and important trees
Strong, consistent policy protection for old trees
More support for land managers to care for ancient and veteran trees”
If you would like to add your name to their petition, here is the link –
To address both the climate and biodiversity crises, the government has a target, set in the Environment Act, for increasing tree increasing tree and woodland cover to 16.5% of total land area in England by 2050. (Sadly this is less than the 17.5% increase originally laid down in the 2021 legislation).
However as the Woodlands Trust points out, there must be a focus on quality as well as quantity:-
“ We need an ambitious target which ensures woods are:
best for wildlife: at least 300,000 ha of all new trees and woods must be native to provide havens for hundreds of woodland species by 2050
well connected: expanding our existing woodland patches will connect and increase habitat sizes and boost their benefits.” (1)
There is therefore an urgency to the need for quality tree planting and, as importantly, for maintenance. The Guardian highlighted a recent report from ‘Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research’ which warned that “UK forests are heading for “catastrophic ecosystem collapse” within the next 50 years due to multiple threats including disease, extreme weather and wildfires … with trees dying on a large scale.” (2)
We as individuals can help in a couple of small ways –
By ensuring our boots are clean before walking in a new woodland to avoid spreading disease.
By sponsoring trees through groups such as The Woodlands Trust, the Wildlife Trust, Trees for Life, the NHS Forest, or the National Forest (planting trees in the former industrial areas of the Midlands)
Trees are good at creating a better environment for us to live in – shade and cooling the air, limiting flooding, absorbing air pollution, and protection from winds. They can also improve our mental and physical wellbeing.
There is some research that suggests having indoor plants can also benefit our health and well-being – but this does rely on someone taking the time to look after them. This too may have its own benefits!
Where it is not possible to plant a tree, or as an interim measure, we could grow green walls. Green walls are where climbing plants are grown either directly against, or on support structures integrated on the outside walls of a building. Growing plants such as ivy on the outside walls can reduce internal temperatures by about 2.5C. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306261916313824
A step up from green walls are living walls. These “are constructed with planter boxes or felt; these do not require the plants to be climbing, they often need to be irrigated and plants for intensive green roofs are frequently suitable for these systems.” * Such walls can sometimes be seen on the sides of tower blocks – offices and hotels – and can presumably provide a green overcoat for buildings that outstrip the height to which plants can naturally grow.
I read recently that a tree provides the equivalent cooling of two air conditioning units. That must depend on the size of the tree and of the AC unit but it is an interesting thought. How much cheaper it must be to plant a tree than buy and run an AC unit. But of course a tree needs time to grow. Should we not be planting as many trees as we can now to provide cooling for the years to come when summer temperatures may be routinely hotter?
Last year at the Lambeth Conference, the delegates agreed to set up a global Communion Forest. Provinces, dioceses and churches were encouraged to plant trees to celebrate events such as baptisms, weddings and confirmations, by planting trees. It is a good idea and even where we don’t have the space ourselves to plant these trees, we can sponsor the planting of trees in woodland areas such as those cared for by the Woodlands Trust.
Trees and forested areas are, we know, good for the environment. They cool the air, store carbon, absorb water before later releasing it. They support a diversity of plant and animal life. They protect and enrich soils. And they improve our physical health and mental well being.
Sadly tree overage in the UK is only 13% – compared with 38% across Europe and 31% world wide.
Planting and looking after new trees and maintaining and protecting existing trees is surely common sense! And where trees are cultivated for use, including felling, that needs to be carried out in a way that protects and nurtures the ecosystem just as one should with a herd or flock of animals.
Thinking about the value of trees, this comes from a Guardian article earlier in the year.
“Heatwaves tend to be the deadliest type of extreme weather, the scientists…
Roop Singh, at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, said: “The results of the study indicate the need to work more urgently to put in place adaptations known to reduce heat-related mortality.” Lisbon, for example, has reduced the city heat-island effect by increasing the area covered by green spaces and water features.
Interesting comments from RSPB – “One of the latest experiments is planting wildflower strips and alleys of trees within fields. Research has already shown that planting wildflower strips helps bring beneficial insects into the fields, which is good for pollination and pest control. But this ten-year trial hopes to show the strips with trees can help in other ways too, such as:
A wildlife boom – from earthworms underground to the birds in the treetops to everything in between, we hope the strips will increase beneficial wildlife including beneficial pollinators and natural pest controllers. The trial will also look to see if the trees have a negative impact on any species.
Carbon catching trees – we know trees store carbon – but we want to find out accurate figures for how much carbon our trees can capture to help inform future work.
Make some money – apple and cobnut trees within the alleys can provide another source of income. We’ll be keeping a close eye on whether these trees bring home the bucks as well as the bugs.”
