First look in a while at some of my early planting (in 2012) on a bare hillside - not many trees, and some of them didn't make it (the juniper were a particular loss) - but wonderful to find some of them 10 feet high already!
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An area nearly half the size of London should be planted with new trees every year to help tackle climate change, environmental experts have said.
Covering 70,000 hectares with new woodland across the UK annually would result in a net total of zero carbon emissions from farming, according to the think tank Green Alliance. London covers 159,000 hectares. Calling for more ambitious action on greenhouse gas emissions, a report by the alliance also advises the government to introduce a raft of measures including urging people to eat “less and better” meat and more plant-based foods. The mass tree-planting scheme needs to start immediately to meet the National Farmers Union’s target of net zero carbon emissions from land use by 2040, the alliance believes. Agriculture is one of the UK’s biggest greenhouse gas-emitting sectors and, together with other rural land use, in 2016 it produced more than four times the emissions of all UK industry.Most other sectors of the economy have decarbonised over time, the report notes. “The rapid rollout of measures in land management, combined with a shift to healthier diets, could cut net emissions from land use by nearly 60 per cent,” the report says.Caterina Brandmayr of Green Alliance said: “UK farmers and land managers will be the main agents in rapidly cutting greenhouse gas emissions from land use. But the government needs to give them a stronger business case to act and support them through the transition, with incentives to innovate.” Changes the group advises include:
The moves would enhance biodiversity, reduce flood risk and increase farm productivity, it claims.Sir Graham Wynne, former member of the UK Committee on Climate Change, said: “Climate action is a big opportunity for UK farmers and land managers. If we get it right, new, low carbon models of land management will make farms more productive and resilient to the effects of climate change. “Delay will only make the challenge greater and more expensive. It takes time for trees to grow and soil to recover. This transformation needs to start now, not in the future.” Deputy NFU president Guy Smith said farmers could not achieve the target in isolation. “It will be a challenge, and we urge government and other stakeholders across the food chain to work with the agricultural industry to help deliver our net zero aspiration,” he said. https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/trees-woodland-farming-london-environment-carbon-green-alliance-meat-a8889166.html Read more Huge reduction in meat eating ‘vital to maintain world food supply Global carbon emissions expected to hit all-time high in 2018 Government urged to act fast on climate change after UN warning Carbon emissions could throw Europe back to ancient tropical climate Drone footage shows size of Britain’s ‘climate-damaging’ mega-farms How small farms are leading the way towards sustainable agriculture I spent a wonderful week with Trees for Life in Glen Affric, planting trees, clearing non-native species and surveying tree re-generation with a great group of volunteers. If there can be said to have been a turning point in the fortunes of the native pinewoods, then surely it was 1959, which saw the publication of Steven and Carlisle's seminal work ‘The Native Pinewoods of Scotland’ (Steven and Carlisle, 1959) and a study tour by the Society of Foresters (now Institute of Chartered Foresters) to discuss the conservation of Scotland's native pinewoods. These events served to draw attention to the plight of the pinewoods and helped to encourage some of the early conservation work carried out in places such as Glen Affric
Trees for Life is an award-winning charity working to restore Scotland's Caledonian Forest. Our vision is to restore natural forests and rare wildlife to a spectacular wilderness region of the Scottish Highlands, including our 10,000 acre Dundreggan Conservation Estate.
Our work is about people as much as places. Our conservation work is carried out by volunteers and funded by our members, charitable trusts, corporate supporters and people who dedicate a tree or grove. https://treesforlife.org.uk Jeremy Roberts, RSPB's senior site manager at the Abernethy reserve explains the 200 year vision to extend the ancient Caledonian forest.
Trees for Life has been involved in practical work to regenerate and restore the Caledonian Forest since 1989. Its long term aim is to return an area of 1,500 km2 (370,000 acres) to a condition of natural forest.
Scientific research continues on the ecology of the Caledonian Forest and its restoration. Populations of the rare groundcover, Linnaea borealis, may be too isolated from one another to produce viable seed. Diversity of fungi has also been affected by the decrease in habitat. Fire appears to increase the natural recruitment of Scots pine seedlings. Ray Mears visits the remaining Caledonian Pine Forests Of Scotland and finds a wide range of wildlife.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Forest One man's mission to reforest the Highlands of Scotland in a 250 year project.
The power of a positive vision, and the power of an individual to make a difference. To help pay it forward and see more TreeStories visit http://www.treestoryfilm.com/ Nearly 30 years ago, Alan Watson-Featherstone stood in the Universal Hall and in front of 300 people made a life-long commitment to restore the ancient Caledonian Forest. He started with no resources, no knowledge, no access to land, no funds, but his passion and inspiration have carried him forward and now his charity Trees for Life not only helps nature to restore the Scottish Highland - it also helps people reconnect with their spirit, with hope and with the land. Alan's talk also includes a wide range of his photography illustrating both the damage to the land and the difference his work makes. Alan is the Founder and Visionary of Trees for Life since 1989, with overall responsibility for the charity and its strategic direction. His work includes a special focus on media and public relations, major donor fundraising and biodiversity research at Dundreggan Conservation Estate. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
Em Magenta creating a 30 year rewilding transformation of Isle Martin into a thriving wildlife rich forest.
Booked a week to plant trees with Trees for Life in Glen Affric from 6 to 13 April 2019 (£185)
Glen Affric is often described as one of the most beautiful places in Scotland. Conservation Weeks in the glen are based at the Athnamulloch bothy, situated right in the heart of wild Scotland. The bothy is surrounded by woodlands, lochs and mountain peaks. Glen Affric contains one of the largest, wildest native forests in the UK. The core purpose and vision of Trees for Life is to bringing back the globally unique Caledonian Forest and all its wildlife to the Scottish Highlands. Reforesting Scotland are offering grants towards small tree planting schemes. The criteria are as follows:
Application process; email to [email protected] with short answers to the following;
Grant claim process; Post or email us a photo of the completed scheme and tell us who to make the cheque payable to / where to send it. We aim to pay within 4 weeks of receiving claims Planting trees is an incredibly cheap and simple way to improve the well-being of people in a city.4/4/2019 Up to five million trees will be planted across the central belt as part of plans to “transform and strengthen” old coal mining communities, Fergus Ewing has announced.
Working alongside the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust, Hargreaves, Hall Construction and local authorities, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) will aim to produce 2,500 hectares of new planting as part of efforts to benefit communities and contribute towards national climate change ambitions. FLS is also working to agree a purchase of opencast coal mine sites in South Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and in Fife and turn them into greenspace. Speaking at Mainshill in South Lanarkshire, one of the sites designated, Rural Economy Secretary said: “I want to see more trees being planted across Scotland. This is a prime example of the exciting type of work that Forestry and Land Scotland can deliver for people and communities. “I want to pay tribute to everyone involved at the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust whose tireless efforts are now coming to fruition. By working with the trust and South Lanarkshire Council, this vacant and derelict site at Mainshill will be restored carefully to an economic use that also benefits climate change. “But most importantly, this work will help transform and strengthen the communities that have been affected by open cast mining. With new planting and careful restoration of the sites, communities will see a total transformation, resulting in new greenspace and recreation opportunities right on their doorstep.” |
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