How many trees can you see from your desk? Plenty, just a few or none? Now consider the current news that as much as 95% of all the ashes in the UK may be killed by the current ash disease outbreak, without action, the numbers of trees in the UK can only continue to fall.
Planting of new trees across Britain has fallen to its lowest level in more than three decades: we need more trees planted now if we are to see any benefit for forthcoming generations and with the start of National Tree Week, organised by The Tree Council, which runs from 24th November – 2nd December 2012, there is no better time to begin that cycle.
You may think that our green and pleasant land has plenty of trees; Britain is one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with half the average tree cover, so we need to make sure that we don’t fall even further behind. As mentioned above, new tree diseases are taking hold with devastating effect, new developments destroying existing established trees and current excess rainfall are weakening what we have – the list of reasons why we lose trees every year continues to grow whilst the trees that we want to see grow, suffer. That’s why, if we are to keep pace with losses and, better still, improve tree numbers across the UK, the nation needs to heed the call to spades and take action now to make a greener future and increase our planet’s lung capacity.
National Tree Week, the launch of the tree planting season, is the ideal time to join one of the many tree planting events planned in towns, villages and countryside by The Tree Council’s Tree Wardens, member organisations, communities and supporters. There are also Wood Fairs, walks, talks, woodturning demonstrations amongst the thousands of organised activities going on throughout Britain that will inspire everyone who takes part in them to think about how they can make a greener future. The Tree Council has details of National Tree Week events, as well as tips on tree planting and aftercare.
So, come on everyone, postpone what other plans you have made for this weekend and next, don your wellies, pick up a spade and get digging. Show you care, send us your pics of getting involved and we will be more than happy to sing your praises to all our social follows. Enjoy.
Some of this blog’s content was sourced from The Tree Council’s website.