Planting new woodland in places like York has multiple benefits - Yorkshire Post Letters

One thing I enjoy about reading The Yorkshire Post are the positive stories like for example the newish York community woodland which has been years in the planning stages and parts are getting established (The Yorkshire Post, August 28, 2024).

Planting nearly 200,000 trees in 78 ha woodland for the use and benefit by both locals and wider community (bird watching and ramblers) to be successful is a partnership between the local authority, York City Council, White Rose Forest with funding from Forestry England.

Getting school children and companies having days away from the office contribute to the formation and establishment of woodlands like York Community Woodland.

Planting woodland has never been so essential to improve the quality of people's lives and attract wildlife, some of which are on the at risk register as well as most importantly holding back the effects of climate change.

Even small areas in the corners of a field creating a 'copse' or small woodland along with hedgerows adds to the matrix of woodland cover.

I agree with Gareth Parry, Forestry Management Director in Yorkshire, that information boards are essential to get the message out about the benefits of woodlands and how conservation improves our quality of life.

The challenges of planting resilient tree species which will survive drier conditions, and add to the mix more pest and diseases migrating from Europe, has led to the traditional types of planting being evaluated and new varieties of Spruce have been developed by nursery men.

I know that the chairman of Forestry England, Sir William Worsley, practises what he preaches on his family's estate at Hovingham when he hosted a visit in June 2024.

Over 50 members of the Royal Forestry Society attended which gave them the opportunity to debate both successful and failed forestry plantings with the professionals in the forestry industry.