New woodlands should be promoted to help meet environmental targets and and improve biodiversity, Lichfield’s MP has said.
Michael Fabricant made his comments in an essay written as part of a series published by the Conservative Environment Network.
Twelve MPs have drafted their views on how food security can be strengthened while also restoring nature and tackling climate change.
Mr Fabricant focused his on the way in which trees can be central to a greener future for the country:
“It is estimated that in 2017 our woodlands delivered benefits to society and the economy worth £3.3billion in the UK and £1.6billion in England – and this does not include food and tourism.
“In the face of climate change and biodiversity decline, their value is set to rise further.
“We must both better protect what we have and create new woodland.”
Michael Fabricant MP
Mr Fabricant’s essay said that in order to meet carbon neutrality and halt the decline of nature, the Government would need to achieve its targets of trebling tree planting rates by 2025 and expanding the coverage of trees in England to 12% by 2050.
“This herculean effort must also be carried out in conjunction with better management and protection of what we already have.
“Only 7% of native woodland is in good ecological condition and around half of woodland Sites of Special Scientific Interest are in an unfavourable condition.
“Our ancient woodlands are particularly under threat from disease, development, including HS2, and overgrazing.
“To put our woodlands into recovery, we will need to tackle these concurrent threats. The biggest gap in current policy is, in my view, protection from disease.”
Michael Fabricant MP
“Restrict imports and grow more trees domestically”
The Conservative MP said more work needed to be done to encourage domestic nurseries in order to help prevent disease from ravaging the nation’s woodlands.
“The main diseases afflicting Britain’s trees, such as Dutch elm disease and ash dieback, are imports.
“As our dependence on foreign growers has increased since 1990, so has the incidence of disease introductions.
“The EU’s single market has been a super spreader.
“Post-Brexit, we can restrict imports and grow more trees domestically.
“The devastation wrought by ash dieback, which could kill 99% of Britain’s ash trees, is expected to cost us £15billion.
“There are a further 47 known tree pests and diseases that could arrive in Britain and cost us an additional £1billion or more each to manage.”
Michael Fabricant MP
The Lichfield MP’s essay – Expanding Our Woodlands – can be viewed online.
Sam Hall, director of the Conservative Environment Network, said:
“We are one of the most nature depleted countries in the world – a big driver of our nature loss was the EU’s disastrous Common Agricultural Policy.
“Post-Brexit we must seize our opportunity to change this.
“If we are going to create new habitats, restore landscapes and boost carbon sequestration, we need to reward farmers and landowners who make space for nature.
“This is vital not only to achieving our goal of halting the decline of nature by 2030 but strengthening our food security for the long term too.”
Sam Hall, Conservative Environment Network
