TREES AND WOODS: AT THE HEART OF NATURE RECOVERY

Despite nature's recovery being impossible without them, just 7% of UK woods are in good condition for wildlife. Our new reports set out what needs to be done to restore our woods and trees in England, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland, for both wildlife and people.

Our reports, Trees and woods: at the heart of nature recovery in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, show the central role that native natural and semi-natural woods and trees must play in restoring nature.

Despite nature's recovery being impossible without them, just 7% of UK woods are in good condition for wildlife, and many are a shadow of what they could be.

The report sets out a raft of solutions, including adding more trees into housing estates with less than 16% tree cover, 30% canopy cover for new developments and access to greenspace within 10 minutes of everyone’s doorsteps.

The report is designed to help councils and communities write their Local Nature Recovery Strategies, following the government’s recent announcement that it has made £14M available to the 48 local authorities tasked with leading on drafting the plans - of which Dorset is one.

Since 1970 35% of species have declined in abundance.  This means today’s children now have a 70% less chance of seeing a hedgehog than their parents did, while dormice populations have fallen by 48% since today’s primary school pupils were born.

If we don't restore our damaged, degraded and disappearing woods and trees, nature will continue to free-fall. We must:

• better protect woods and trees
  
  
• restore more wooded habitats to good ecological condition
  
  
• create new native woods and trees to form wildlife-rich mosaics with other habitat types.