Why do we want more trees?

There has been a lot of emphasis on tree planting in the past – and particularly in recent years. This is for good reason; woodland can help address climate change, as well as providing important wildlife habitats and enjoyable places to visit. Trees also provide us with a range of free ‘ecosystem services’; they release oxygen, they clean the air, they provide shade, shelter and cooling, their roots stabilise the earth around them, they reduce flooding and much more. But despite all this, barely 13% of the UK land area is forested and 53% of woodland wildlife is in decline.* A lot of what we have left is either commercial forestry, which are usually single species stands of low value for wildlife or are in a poor condition and highly fragmented.

* Woodland Trust

Trees will plant themselves

Woodland is the climax community for most of mainland Britain. This means that without management, land will ultimately become wood. As you might imagine, the process by which this happens is complicated and varies with location, but any gardener or land manager will recognise the constant ‘battle’ when we try to keep things under control.

It is important to understand this because if you want to create a new woodland, the cheapest and least labour-intensive method is to leave the land alone! In most cases, without grazing animals or active management, grass becomes scrub and ultimately woodland. By creating woodland this way, you get the pleasure of watching how the land changes; nature chooses what is appropriate for the area, and you can spend your hard-earned cash on other activities which benefit wildlife and climate.

This approach would always be my first choice for woodland creation and the rest of this blog explains the reasons why, as well as considering when planting trees is a good idea, and how to minimise negative impacts.

So what's wrong with tree planting?

Actually nothing!... provided we do it mindfully! It is about the ‘Right Tree in the Right Place at the Right Time’. Having said that, our increasing demand for saplings requires more and more to be grown, meaning that ever larger areas of land are being sacrificed for this purpose. I have seen this firsthand in the local area and it's one of the many reasons I am so passionate about helping people understand the nuance.

There are a few situations where tree-planting can be the preferred method for nature, people and the climate:

• New hedgerows and hedgerow restoration
• Orchards
• Built-up environments
• Veteran trees of the future

So, first ask yourself if you need to plant, or could nature do the heavy lifting for you? Before you splash the cash there are some important considerations. First and foremost don’t rush! Spend some time getting to know your site to maximise potential and avoid accidentally harming something. Make sure you don’t destroy one habitat to make another; we need diversity, and all habitats have value. Consider connectivity; planting trees to link up with other wooded habitats can increase the wildlife value. If your primary driver is creating habitat for wildlife, think about what would be the most appropriate actions on your land in the context of the wider landscape. This is increasingly the approach taken by conservation organisations such as Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, and there are freely available tools which can help you, such as the NRW Habitat Networks maps and the Powys Nature Recovery Action Plan Resilient Ecological Networks maps.

Some of our landscape-scale work

This isn’t a step-by-step guide on planting your trees - there's plenty of good advice on that already out there – here I outline a few key points to guide your choices before you put your spade in the ground:

• Choose species which are appropriate for the geographical area and the site, considering soil, climate, water levels and drainage. 
• Avoid non-native species when planting in the countryside. Carefully chosen non-natives can be OK in a garden, but ensure they are not invasive.
• Choose a variety; monocultures (the cultivation of a single crop in an area) of anything are not good for wildlife and are more likely to fail due to disease, pests, etc.
• Source locally and carefully; a lot of young trees are imported and can bring in disease. 
• Ask your supplier how (as well as where) the trees are grown. Large tree nurseries can be prone to pests and diseases, meaning that herbicides and pesticides are often used. 
• Think about the future; unless you plan to ultimately reuse them, it may be best to plant without tree guards. The money saved can be spent on replacing trees which die or are eaten.

Give yourself a break

What we all need to do is challenge our modern aesthetic and increase our connections with nature once more. We can all take action for wildlife every day of our lives, without spending a penny or lifting a finger. Arguably, we can make the biggest positive impact for the planet and all its inhabitants by being less tidy! One example of this is the way we manage our hedges (check out my blog on this topic by clicking here), but there are many more. Can you challenge yourself today to take a fresh look and a different approach, for the benefit of us all?

More ways to take action for wildlife and the climate