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the UK’s ancient woodlands – which date back to at least 1600 – are in some state of protection, according to figures from the Woodland Trust.
One expert says this “dearth of legal protection” will spell disaster for our ancient trees. Prof Alastair Driver, formerly of Natural England, says: “Why would a thing older than Stonehenge, more valuable than a Van Gogh, more complex than a laptop, and on which so much life depends go unprotected?”
The UK government says it plants around 10 million trees a year and is committed to planting 30,000 hectares of trees annually by 2025 as part of its environmental pledges. However, experts including Prof Gagen question why this wasn’t achieved sooner.
But saving trees can’t be just a numbers game, says Prof Driver. He says there is a need for a fundamental rethink of our approach to trees and nature as part of any future plans.
Prof Driver says the UK should use its post-Brexit independence to “do things differently”, making the case for better connectivity between pockets of woodland to ensure not only that they survive but that species can live, grow and die in a natural way.
Canton adds, “When people look at a woodland, they tend to think about the sum of the trees. But everything that you’re not seeing – the air that you’re breathing, the water that you’re drinking – they’re all benefits of that forest. Once we start to tap into that, then we’ll see them as essential and irreplaceable.”
He recalls the sweet scent of fungi, squirrels cracking nuts and his daughter swinging from branches, a moment of unity that helped him feel part of a living, thriving cycle. It made him reflect that perhaps saving trees might ultimately be about saving ourselves.
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