Call For More Trees
30 October 2008
Urgent action called for to elevate Northern Ireland from bottom of European tree league.
With Tree Week approaching and Northern Ireland languishing at the bottom of the European tree league, the Woodland Trust is calling for more trees. The Woodland Trust has called upon the Northern Ireland Executive and its relevant Departments to take urgent action for the future of woodland with its manifesto "A vision for woodland in Northern Ireland". The Trust wants the Executive to deliver on its commitment to double Northern Ireland's woodland cover over the next 50 years. It also calls for protection for ancient woodland and cites the fact that many of the country’s oldest woods have been lost in recent years. In total, 273 ancient and long-established woods have been cleared since the 1960s. Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, William McCrea MP MLA, appeared at Stormont today to receive the Trust's new document. Lee Bruce, government affairs officer with the Woodland Trust, said: Woodland greatly contributes to our quality of life by offering recreation, health and wildlife benefits. Legislative change, in the form of the proposed Forestry Act, is needed to protect, restore and expand our fragile woodland resource. Delivery of the Executive’s commitment to double woodland cover over the next 50 years would require more than trebling the current rate of tree planting" he said. Receiving the document, Dr McCrea commented: "As chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, I welcome the Woodland Trust’s publication. Woodland is important to so many aspects of our lives and is a vital contributor to the ecosystem upon which we are all dependent for our very survival. Crucially the forthcoming Forestry Act must guarantee that all ancient woodland is protected and where necessary restored, and that new woods are created where it benefits wildlife and people".
For further information view the document: A Vision for Woodland in Northern Ireland
