Nothing guzzles carbon like a tree; woodland in the UK captures 20 million tonnes of CO2 annually and a study by Defra's science department, Forest Research, says soils store most carbon - a massive 72% of a wood's total. Native woods have other benefits: they enrich the soil, shelter livestock, reduce floodwater runoff, increase biodiversity, produce fruit crops and improve people's mental health all while storing carbon.
Forest for Cornwall is not a single area of a new forest but a Cornwall Council project to significantly increase the canopy cover throughout Cornwall while strengthening the protection of our existing trees, woodlands and hedges. The diagram above shows 6 ways you can get involved in the Forest for Cornwall:
- Plant a tree in your garden
- Apply for a Grow Nature Seed Fund grant
- Become a tree warden
- Share #forestforcornwall on social media
- Apply for trees from the Woodland Trust
- Tell us what you are doing
What you can do
- Plant a tree in your garden or ask a friend or neighbour to plant a tree on your behalf. Three native trees to consider are Crab Apple, Hawthorn and Silver Birch, all good for small gardens.
- This year is a 'Mast' year when trees and shrubs produce a bumper crop of their fruit or nuts, so now is the time to collect seeds from our local trees and see if you can grow your own saplings.
- Become a member of the Woodland Trust and fund a tree.
Sources of Information
- Forest for Cornwall
- Woodland Trust
- Woodland Trust - growing a tree from seed
- The Tree Council - growing a tree from seed
13th January 2021