Woodland Indicators by Local Authority

Transcription

1 Research Report Woodland Indicators by Local Authority August 2015 (Unitary and county councils) July

2 Woodland Indicators Unitary and County Councils (see reverse of document for non-unitary district councils) Contents Introduction 1 The data explained 2 Ancient woods under threat 2 Tree Packs for communities and schools 4 Access to woodland for all 6 Woodland cover 8 Growing the future: Six priorities for Local Authorities 10 Data breakdown by unitary and county councils 11 The Woodland Trust logo is a registered trademark. The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales number and in Scotland number SC A non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England number /16 2

3 Natural capital made real istock Woods are particularly valuable in urban areas where their visual prominence creates a balance between the built and natural environment. They also help improve air quality and reduce noise pollution. Introduction The outlook for woods and trees varies across the UK, though one fact is certain: we are one of the least wooded countries in Europe, and woods and trees continue to disappear from our landscapes. This is despite the fact that we now know more than ever about all that woods and trees do for us. Research carried out for us by Europe Economics 1 has placed the total value of the services provided by woods and trees to UK society at 270 billion. They help cool our cities, improve health, and provide homes for our wildlife. They are fundamental to life itself an incredible resource that can help tackle some of the great policy challenges of our age. The importance of woods and trees has been amply illustrated in recent years by the work of the Natural Capital Committee. In its Third Report it found a strong economic case for planting large areas of trees in the right places. It is estimated that 250,000 hectares planted near towns and cities can generate societal net benefits in excess of 500m a year 2 a compelling example of value for money by any standards. It is vital that local authority plans and strategies, and investment decisions made by councils, reflect such evidence. The Woodland Trust aims to bring the benefits of woods and trees to all. From protecting and restoring our ancient and richly diverse existing woodland habitat to creating new wooded green spaces and improving access to woods, our vision is a UK rich in native woods and trees, enjoyed and valued by everyone. 1 The Economic Benefits of Woodland A Report for the Woodland Trust prepared by Europe Economics. March The State of Natural Capital: Protecting and Improving Natural Capital for Prosperity and Well-being. Third Report to Economic Affairs Committee, Natural Capital Committee, January

4 The data explained Over the last four decades, the Woodland Trust has helped plant thousands of woods and millions of trees, many in partnership with local authorities. We have built up an inventory of ancient and veteran trees and fought threats to ancient woodland from development proposals. Our Community Tree pack scheme has enabled thousands of communities to create and cherish new green spaces, while our work continues to champion the case for improved access to woodland. However, with the support of local authorities, we can achieve much more. This document tracks how woods and trees fare within local authorities across England and Wales against a number of key indicators. It is intended to be a useful starting point and inspiration for further discussion around how to better protect and promote woods and trees in your area. Ancient woods under threat Ancient woodland is our richest terrestrial habitat for wildlife. It is home to more threatened species than any other, and represents the last fragments of the wildwood that once cloaked our country after the last Ice Age. Now diminished to a fraction of its former extent, and constituting an irreplaceable part of our natural heritage, the nation s ancient woodland is increasingly under threat from development. Keeping abreast of planning applications registered across the UK is becoming ever more challenging. The Woodland Trust s Woods Under Threat team consists of three members of staff who respond to over 100 cases of threats to ancient woodland each year. This is complemented by a network of volunteers who monitor threats to ancient woodland locally and assist in building the case to save them. Our resources don t presently allow us to check and respond to every application from all the local planning authorities in the UK. Our Woods Under Threat database records only the threats that we know about. It is therefore simply a snapshot of the various threats to ancient woodland of which we are aware, and does not claim to be the complete picture; however, to our knowledge, it is the only one of its kind. This document uses Woods Under Threat data from the five year period July and illustrates why we need to strengthen planning protection. WTML 4

5 Woods under threat Active woods under threat cases by unitary and county councils in England and Wales Unitary and county councils are listed alphabetically from page 11, where you can find their corresponding map reference number. North West North East Key Active woods under threat cases Data correct as of June 2016 Yorkshire and the Humber West Midlands East Midlands Eastern Wales Map Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number South West South East London 5

6 Tree packs for communities and schools The Woodland Trust provides thousands of tree packs to participating school and community groups in November and March each year, when the saplings are ready to plant. They offer the perfect opportunity to bring people together whilst encouraging diverse wildlife, replacing trees lost to disease and providing many other benefits to local areas. Our data shows how many tree packs were supplied to local authorities in England and Wales in Community groups and schools can apply for our tree packs online and any enquiries about the scheme can be directed to us by WTML/Christopher Beech The amount of woodland recorded as accessible has changed over time, owing to improved data and woodland created by the Woodland Trust and others. WTML 6

7 Tree packs planted in 2015 Tree packs 2015 by unitary and county councils in England and Wales Unitary and county councils are listed alphabetically from page 11, where you can find their corresponding map reference number. North West North East Key Tree packs issued in Data correct as of June 2016 Yorkshire and the Humber West Midlands East Midlands Eastern Wales Map Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number South West South East London 7

8 Access to woodland for all Compelling international evidence is demonstrating what many people know intuitively: that woods and trees are good for us. Access to woodland has been shown to have social and economic benefits such as improved health and well-being, better air quality, the promotion of social cohesion, increased inward investment and higher property values. Yet only 18.2% of the UK s population lives within 500m of accessible woodland. This document illustrates the percentage of the population in each local authority that has accessible woodland of at least 2 ha within 500m of where they live. The data is taken from the research used to compile the Woodland Trust publication Space for People: targeting action for woodland access (January 2015). The Woodland Trust is committed to inspiring people to enjoy and value woodland, both for their own benefit and for the benefit of our woods and wildlife. We believe access to woodland is key to achieving this, through creating a strong connection between people and their local woods. We have developed a Woodland Access Standard which aspires that no person should live more than 500m from at least one area of accessible woodland of no less than 2 ha in size. There should also be at least one area of accessible woodland of no less than 20 ha within 4km of people s homes. This is intended to be an aspirational benchmark and some flexibility and local assessment is needed in its interpretation. We believe no one should live more than 500m from at least one area of accessible woodland bigger than two hectares. This aspiration forms part of our Woodland Access Standard. WTML/Jill Jennings 8 8

9 Woodland access Percentage of the population with access to woodland within 500m by unitary and county councils in England and Wales Key Percentage of the population with access to woodland Unitary and county councils are listed alphabetically from page 11, where you can find their corresponding map reference number. North West North East Over Data correct as of June 2016 Yorkshire and the Humber West Midlands East Midlands Eastern Wales Map Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number South West South East London 9

10 Woodland cover The national average for woodland cover in the UK is only 13 per cent, compared to an EU average of 37 per cent. Yet despite the evidence that planting more trees can help tackle some of the great policy challenges of our age, current figures show planting rates to be in sharp decline. Only 700 ha of woodland was planted in England last year ( provisional figures), far below the Government s aspiration of 5000 ha a year. In comparison 2,400 ha was planted in , but planting in England has been consistently low, at under 5000ha a year since In Wales, just 100 ha was planted in ; 800 ha less than the previous year s figure and short of the 5,000 ha target. Increasing tree and woodland cover should be a policy priority to improve quality of life while providing value for money by delivering on a wide range of policy priorities simultaneously. The Woodland Trust has created thousands of hectares of new woodland across the UK on our own land, and we work with other partners such as local authorities to help them create woods or enrich their local landscapes with trees. There are many competing demands on the nation s land. However, integrating trees and woodland into urban areas or farmland can bring great benefits such as urban cooling, shade and shelter, minimising runoff from fields, and reducing the impact of flooding. Street trees, trees in hedgerows, and small copses or shelterbelts all contribute to creating more resilient landscapes. The data shown in this document for woodland cover in Great Britain is taken from the National Forest Inventory. Woods are particularly valuable in urban areas where their visual prominence creates a balance between the built and natural environment. WTML/Alan Southworth 10

11 Woodland cover Percentage of the population with access to woodland within 500m by unitary and county councils in England and Wales Unitary and county councilsare listed alphabetically from page 11, where you can find their corresponding map reference number. North West North East Key Percent woodland cover Over Data correct as of June 2016 Yorkshire and the Humber West Midlands East Midlands Eastern Wales Map Crown Copyright All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number South West South East London 11

12 Growing the future: Six priorities for local authorities The Woodland Trust calls on all local authorities to take action to secure and expand our woodland resource for the benefit of all: 1. Real protection for ancient woodland and ancient trees in Local Plan policy and Tree Strategies the Woodland Trust is currently dealing with more than 500 threats to ancient woods across the UK, the highest number in its history. 2. Green infrastructure should be at the heart of new development in particular emerging flagship projects like the Northern Powerhouse and West Midlands Combined Authority on account of the myriad public health and economic benefits brought by access to green space, particularly woods and trees. Development should aspire to incorporate 20% new tree canopy cover secured by long-term funding. 3. Help schools educate future generations about the importance of nature by ensuring that every child has the opportunity to plant a tree. 4. Support more strategic tree planting to help combat the risk of flooding and improve water quality. National planting rates are falling far below the aspiration of the Government in 2013 to plant 5,000 hectares of new woodland a year. Only 700 ha of woodland was planted in England last year ( provisional figures). 5. Support funded initiatives that enable the health and adult/social care sectors to engage better with green space such as woods and trees, as an illness-prevention measure to improve physical and mental health and wellbeing. Accessible woodland should be increased so that no person lives more than 500 metres from a wood they can visit and local communities should be supported in planting, owning and managing their own local woods. 6. Mitigate the negative effects of climate change on people, places and wildlife by creating a more resilient landscape with trees. Any trees lost outside woods, particularly to disease in parks and adjacent to roads, should be replaced on at least a two for one basis. To find out more about how your local authority can benefit from trees and woodland, contact the Woodland Trust on or governmentrelations@woodlandtrust.org.uk 12

13 Data breakdown by unitary and county councils Map ref no Unitary and county councils % Woodland cover Tree packs 2015 % of population who have accessible woodland within 500m of where they live Ancient woodlands under threat 1 Abertawe - Swansea Barking and Dagenham London Boro Barnet London Boro Barnsley Bath and North East Somerset Bedford Bexley London Boro Birmingham Blackburn with Darwen Blackpool Blaenau Gwent - Blaenau Gwent Bolton Bournemouth Bracknell Forest Bradford Brent London Boro Bro Morgannwg - the Vale of Glamorgan Bromley London Boro Buckinghamshire County Bury Caerdydd - Cardiff Caerffili - Caerphilly Calderdale Cambridgeshire County Camden London Boro Casnewydd - Newport Castell-nedd Port Talbot - Neath Port Talbot Central Bedfordshire Cheshire East Cheshire West and Chester City and County of the City of London City of Bristol City of Derby City of Kingston upon Hull

14 14 Map ref no Unitary and county councils % Woodland cover Tree packs 2015 % of population who have accessible woodland within 500m of where they live Ancient woodlands under threat 35 City of Leicester City of Nottingham City of Peterborough City of Plymouth City of Portsmouth City of Southampton City of Stoke-on-Trent City of Westminster London Boro City of Wolverhampton Conwy - Conwy Cornwall County Durham County of Herefordshire Coventry Croydon London Boro Cumbria County Darlington Derbyshire County Devon County Doncaster Dorset County Dudley Ealing London Boro East Riding of Yorkshire East Sussex County Enfield London Boro Essex County Gateshead Gloucestershire County Greenwich London Boro Gwynedd - Gwynedd Hackney London Boro Halton Hammersmith and Fulham London Boro Hampshire County Haringey London Boro Harrow London Boro Hartlepool Havering London Boro Hertfordshire County Hillingdon London Boro

15 Map ref no Unitary and county councils % Woodland cover Tree packs 2015 % of population who have accessible woodland within 500m of where they live Ancient woodlands under threat 76 Hounslow London Boro Isle of Wight Isles of Scilly Islington London Boro Kensington and Chelsea London Boro Kent County Kingston upon Thames London Boro Kirklees Knowsley Lambeth London Boro Lancashire County Leeds Leicestershire County Lewisham London Boro Lincolnshire County Liverpool Luton Manchester Medway Merthyr Tudful - Merthyr Tydfil Merton London Boro Middlesbrough Milton Keynes Newcastle upon Tyne Newham London Boro Norfolk County North East Lincolnshire North Lincolnshire North Somerset North Tyneside North Yorkshire County Northamptonshire County Northumberland Nottinghamshire County Oldham Oxfordshire County Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr - Bridgend Poole Powys - Powys Reading Redbridge London Boro

16 16 Map ref no Unitary and county councils % Woodland cover Tree packs 2015 % of population who have accessible woodland within 500m of where they live Ancient woodlands under threat 117 Redcar and Cleveland Rhondda Cynon Taf - Rhondda Cynon Taf Richmond upon Thames London Boro Rochdale Rotherham Rutland Salford Sandwell Sefton Sheffield Shropshire Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire Sir Ceredigion - Ceredigion Sir Ddinbych - Denbighshire Sir Fynwy - Monmouthshire Sir Gaerfyrddin - Carmarthenshire Sir y Fflint - Flintshire Sir Ynys Mon - Isle of Anglesey Slough Solihull Somerset County South Gloucestershire South Tyneside Southend-on-Sea Southwark London Boro St. Helens Staffordshire County Stockport Stockton-on-Tees Suffolk County Sunderland Surrey County Sutton London Boro Swindon Tameside Telford and Wrekin The City of Brighton and Hove Thurrock Tor-faen - Torfaen Torbay Tower Hamlets London Boro

17 Map ref no Unitary and county councils % Woodland cover Tree packs 2015 % of population who have accessible woodland within 500m of where they live Ancient woodlands under threat 158 Trafford Wakefield Walsall Waltham Forest London Boro Wandsworth London Boro Warrington Warwickshire County West Berkshire West Sussex County Wigan Wiltshire Windsor and Maidenhead Wirral Wokingham Worcestershire County Wrecsam - Wrexham York