The UK government has recognised the need for working with forest cover to sequester garden as illustrated both by Combating Climate Change: A Role for UK Forests available from the Forestry Commission’s website and also by their commitment to planting 11 million trees in the next two years.
Obviously they cannot meet this target alone.
Having recognised that past tree planting grants were fundamentally flawed they have produced a new series of woodland creation grants administered by National England. DEFRA is now working actively with the Agroforestry group, supported by the Woodland Trust and The Royal Forestry Society to highlight planting methods that can work to both support and increase farm land productivity at the same time as preserving soil sub-structure, preventing run-off of into waterways and assisting the holding of water in the land creating which, far from reducing hydration of crops, can increase it.
Associated with this are techniques of grassland and careful animal husbandry that are outlined in the Soil will Save Us which pleasingly can be downloaded as an audio book so you can dream in global change while you get on with house work.
The Woodland Trust website houses a series of short, informative films about different farmers who have adopted these techniques and how, now they know, they would never go back. If you live in a rural community, find out more, talk to people you know who work the land and raise awareness of the options that are working so successfully from highlands to lowlands.
You’ll find the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) is also a great support and one of the conservations more tuned into the actual needs of farmers.
Or if you are thinking about planting your own woodland you can get a grant from Natural England, practical support from the Forestry Commission and receive gifts of UK grown native trees from The Woodland Trust.
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