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Woodland strategy gets to root of problem
Julie Hemmings FORESTRY bosses have unveiled new plans for how trees can help to reduce flooding, tackle the effects of climate change and improve public health into the bargain.
The Forestry Commission, working with partners including the Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber, Yorkshire Forward and other regional organisations, has published the first forestry strategy of its kind for Yorkshire and the Humber.
The Value of Trees in our Changing Region sets out how, over the next 15 years, the preservation of existing woodland and the planting of more trees can have massive environmental and health benefits.
Aims include protecting the region's ancient and native woodland, creating more woodland to help to reduce the risk of flooding and to improve air quality and planting trees to form forests near where people live.
The strategy, drawn up as part of a national Government initiative, notes the region has 225,000 acres of woodland and 2m individual trees, representing 5.8 per cent of land area, significantly lower than the national average of 8.4 per cent.
Hull is the nation's least wooded city, at only 0.3 per cent.
Grants will be targeted at creating "urban fringe woods", particularly where health indicators point to high obesity rates and increased risks of cardio-vascular diseases.
Strategy co-ordinator Vince Carter said some projects were under way already but the strategy brought together different priorities to ensure resources were allocated where they were needed.
"There is a level of flood risk in this region," he said.
"Trees and woodlands have a potential role in reducing that risk, by intercepting rainfall and on floodplains when water moves downstream.
"And there is increasing evidence that an environment with plenty of trees to walk among has beneficial effects on people's health."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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