Trees under threat

By Sibusiso Mvitsho  (s.mvitsho@my.westminster.ac.uk)

Britain’s woodland has come under attack as developments including roads, houses, airports and golf courses are on the increase according to Wood land trust.

A study by Woodland Trust shows that over the last ten years 800 woods, covering a total of 26,000 hectares, have been threatened (five per cent of the total amount of ancient woodland remaining in the UK).

Ed Pomfret from Woodland Trust said: “This is a worrying picture, half of the ancient woodland that existed in 1930s has been destroyed or degraded. Ancient Woodland is the UK’s equivalent of rainforest and is irreplaceable having been wooded for over 400 years.

The government recently announced a pledge to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 but allow developments to go ahead that remove trees which could help reduce carbon emissions.

Trees are removed but are not being sufficiently replaced as shown by the February 2008 report by the Communities and Local Government, Trees in Town II.

In 140 towns and cities surveyed for the report, just 0.4% of the projected number of urban trees promised in London had been planted in London and the south east in the last five years.

But tree felling increased in many areas particularly London, where 7,600 tress were cut down in boroughs of Croydon and Harrow alone, with just 2,600 replacements.

Trees and carbon

As more fossil fuels are burnt, both for industrial domestic and industrial purposes greenhouse gas emissions have increased dramatically.

Carbon in fossil fuels combines with oxygen in the air to produce carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Land clearance and deforestation have also contributed to the process.  

Trees play an important part in combating this process as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They clean the air, reduce temperature and counteract our polluting lifestyles.

Benefits of trees

Trees are important as they have countless befits to the environment.

• A large beech tree can provide enough oxygen for the daily requirements of ten people.
• 1 hectare of woodland grown to maturity and looked after forever would absorb the carbon emissions of 100 average family cars driven for one year.
• Trees help to lock up the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.
• Trees play a vital role in the urban ecosystem, by helping to support a great variety of wildlife.
• Trees reduce noise in cities by acting as a sound barrier.

 

Main article: Wood you believe it