Final woodland statistics 2019: Friends of the Earth calls for huge boost to tree planting

Press release
"The government shouts from the rooftops about fighting climate breakdown and protecting the world’s forests but is completely failing on trees right under its nose."
  Published:  26 Sep 2019    |      1 minute read
  • The latest National Statistics on woodland, produced by Forest Research, released today (26 September 2019)
  • Woodland cover sits at 10% in England, 15% in Wales, 19% in Scotland and 8% in Northern Ireland.

Guy Shrubsole, trees campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"The government shouts from the rooftops about fighting climate breakdown and protecting the world’s forests but is completely failing on trees right under its nose. In England, planting of new trees and replacing those felled, is at an historic low. Trees are a crucial way of averting further climate breakdown so this needs to change, now.

“The UK has some of the lowest levels of woodland in Europe. Addressing this – by doubling our tree cover - will help us fix the climate emergency and make more space for the country’s rapidly declining nature.”

Tell the UK government to double tree cover to help tackle the climate emergency.