13%OF BRITAIN HAS TREE COVER

compared to 40% of the EU area and 46% of Europe as a whole

When we talk about expanding woodland and tree cover, sometimes we jump on tree planting as the solution. It certainly has a role to play, but nature is an old hand at planting trees and usually does it better.

Letting nature expand woodlands naturally:

• is cost-effective
• reduces disease risk
• eliminates the need for plastic tree guards
• creates healthier woodlands

Read on for more or read our report — Reforesting Britain: why natural regeneration should be our default approach to woodland expansion

WHY MORE TREES

Trees store carbon, reduce flood risk, support loads of wildlife, give us food and medicine and a whole lot more. Read our 20 amazing things that trees do.

The benefits of trees are boosted when they get together to form woodlands and forests. In fact, woodlands are critical habitats for wildlife and mitigating climate change, but only 13% of the UK’s land has any sort of tree cover. That compares with 40% of the EU area and 46% of Europe as a whole.

Conifers account for around one half (51%) of the UK woodland area, although this proportion varies from around one quarter (26%) in England to around three quarters (74%) in Scotland. Native and ancient woodland covers only 3% of the UK’s land.

So…we need more trees and woodland. And at Rewilding Britain, we believe we need as much natural woodland as possible.