Best For the West?

 

The UK is the most nature-depleted European country. Compared with the rest of Europe, the UK is very  under-forested. In England, tree cover is only 12.8%. Currently England's only national tree forest is in the Midlands. There's now a plan, however, funded by government and charities, to plant 20 million trees in 2500 hectares of the West of England. When completed in 2050. this new national forest, will  incorporate parts of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Somerset, as well as the city of Bristol. It will be a forest in the Medieval sense, with a mosaic of habitats. Its area will feature grassland; farmland; towns and villages as well as densely-planted, closed canopy woodland. It will try to dispel the myth that forests ands farming are incompatible  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/21/new-western-forest-england-20-million-trees-2050). A Western national forest would benefit both people and wildlife. It would certainly help counter the effects of the greenhouse effect on climate change. Forests absorb and store carbon dioxide as well as providing shade. The forest could also boost tourism within its confines. More of this type of development is needed in the UK. The forests need, however, to be mixtures of different tree species rather than forestry monocultures.