The Heart of England Forest is the first organisation in Warwickshire to plant trees on a large scale in support of mitigating climate change in the county...
The Heart of England Forest is the first organisation in Warwickshire to plant trees on a large scale in support of mitigating climate change in the county, whilst also getting involved in The Queen’s Green Canopy - a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Heart of England Forest is helping to reverse centuries of woodland decline by creating and conserving 30,000 acres of native broadleaf forest across South Warwickshire and Worcestershire for the benefit of the environment, wildlife, and people. To date, 2 million trees have been planted by the charity, and the Forest currently covers a mosaic of habitats across 7,000 acres of land, including 4,450 acres of new woodland and 600 acres of beautiful, mature, and ancient woodland.
Planting trees is a practical and positive step to take to tackle climate change, as trees produce oxygen and help remove harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while creating beautiful, uplifting outdoor environments and providing new habitats for wildlife. Further environmental and social impacts of tree planting include water purification and flood alleviation.
The work implemented by The Heart of England Forest also aligns with Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC’s) ambitious plans for coming years that will see a tree for every resident planted across the county. This tree planting by WCC has been strategically planned to restore parts of forests and wooded areas that have been long lost to time, such as the ancient Forest of Arden, which once covered most of the county and beyond into Staffordshire and Worcestershire.
However, effective conservation action is not just about planting as many trees as possible, but about planting sustainably by planning and managing sites to ensure the right trees go in the right places to make an effective, long-term impact.
The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is another sustainable initiative for 2021-22 which celebrates Her Majesty’s 70 remarkable years of service and will create a legacy in honour of The Queen’s leadership of the Nation. The next tree planting season, and opportunity to add newly planted trees to The Queen’s Green Canopy Map, will begin from October 2022. The Heart of England Forest will be planting up 300 acres in support of this initiative in the next tree planting season later this year. Everyone from individuals and schools to charities and businesses are encouraged to play their part in The QGC by planting trees this Jubilee year, or to mark the occasion with a physical or virtual commemorative plaque in keeping with the environmental focus.
The Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Mr Tim Cox, who is the Queen’s representative in the county, said:
“The Queen’s Green Canopy is a brilliant project and a wonderful way to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, which celebrates a remarkable 70 years on the throne - the longest of any monarch in this country. It means that any new trees planted and subsequently managed as part of this initiative, including those by The Heart of England Forest, will help towards creating a legacy in honour of The Queen that can be enjoyed by current and future generations across the county.”
Beth Brook, Chief Executive of The Heart of England Forest, said:
“The role our forests play in mitigating climate change and creating diverse and healthy habitats is clear, and there has never been a more important time to act. We are pleased that the Queen’s Green Canopy is shining a spotlight on sustainable tree planting to create woodland habitats that survive and thrive in the long-term, an approach we are passionate about here in the Heart of England Forest.”
Cllr Timms, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate & Culture, said:
“The challenges we face from climate change cannot be underestimated, and it is great to see The Heart of England Forest making great strides for Warwickshire by supporting the creation and conservation of outdoor environments and ecosystems in our county.
“Planting trees is a positive step in responding to climate change, as trees produce oxygen that helps to remove harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They create important green spaces including new habitats for wildlife, whilst also supporting work towards the County Council’s climate change emergency goals including achieving net zero emissions by 2030.”
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of human-influenced climate change, visit www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk
To plant a tree for The Queen’s Green Canopy, and to find out lots of tree-planting advice and recommendations, visit https://queensgreencanopy.org/get-involved/
To find out more about Heart of England Forest, visit https://heartofenglandforest.org/