UK forests 'could do more harm than good'

Mass tree planting in the UK could harm the environment if not planned properly, a report warns.The report comes from the Natural Capital Committee , which says planting trees into peat bogs would prove a serious mistake.This can release more greenhouse gases than the trees absorb.

“We would be crazy to undertake the massive scale of planting being considered if we did not also consider the wider effects upon the environment including impacts on wildlife, benefits in terms of reducing flood risks and effects on water quality, improvements to recreation and so on.”The report adds that carpeting upland pastures with trees would reduce the UK’s ability to produce meat – which may lead to increasing imports from places that produce beef by felling rainforests.

The authors note that huge publicity has been given to the UK’s plans for planting 11 million trees to lock up carbon emissions, but they warn that conserving carbon in soils is equally or more important. They say soil degradation through erosion, intensive farming and development creates losses estimated at between £0.9 –1.4bn per year for England and Wales alone.Prof Kathy Willis from Oxford University and an NCC member, told BBC News: “We love looking at trees – we get all these positive emotions, smells and sounds – but most of us don't look at soil that actually underpins everything.

Except this headline ISN'T what the report says. It talks about planting trees in the right places, not that mass planting is bad. Also, amazing how farmers complain that it could lead to less grazing land yet animal agriculture is the leading cause of environmental destruction.

I get it, planting one in the middle of the M4 for instance

Let the trees decide, for goodness' sake. They 'know' better than academics. It's called succession, ecologically speaking. It's called 'rewilding' and doesn't conform to narrow-minded academic descriptions of fake management associated making money. Abandon land, job done!

A misleading headline. Planting trees in peatbogs will harm the environment.

Such a misleading headline. UK forests are vital to sequester carbon and reduce air pollution yet they are being cut at a rapid rate for railways, by builders and seemingly for 5G. There needs to be a morotorium on tree felling, especially of ancient trees. ClimateEmergency

this is complete clickbait and misleading

lol

Wish they would make up their minds

No it won’t. It will mean cleaner air greener spaces and home for wildlife. What we are doing now is killing ourselves by none sustained forestry

If course the BBC reporter would not know one end of a tree from the other ... such is an education in the Arts ...

Don't you just love 'experts' .... create uncertainty and division to kee themselves employed and to appear important !!

Bloody hell, even planting trees is bad for the environment now

It’s the trees what did it gov

Fake news fake

Then plant the properly.

Why give idiots study's for them to come out it's actually it's bad

BS!

Bollocks

Keeping us busy with top notch science? What's going on does anyone know ? Scientific Modelling of 'UK forests could do more harm than good', resembles the other famous warning 'Closing schools marginal impact on virus'. SantaKlausH carolecadwalla johnashton4pcc

Give it a rest

This is true Forests are biodiversity dead zones. We desperately need meadowland, wetlands and grasslands and they take more knowledge and time. Those who know actually have to spend time preventing forests from encroaching on others

Then cut down the bad ones for toilet paper Two problems solved 🙂

It might stop all the goddam flooding

Nonsense, who says we're going to mass tree plant in bogland? More 'world leading science' from top 'Government advisers' ? Is this a joke? 'No point in closing dirty UK factories if we import from places with worse emissions? '

What a load of bollox

Don’t know whether I’m on my a**e or my elbow! There is a bad way to plant trees? Upside down? 🙃

Who in their right mind would plant a tree in a boggy area, it would probably be difficult to do anyway. Why have these people gone out of their way to be negative?

What nonsense!!

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