First State of the UK’s Woods and Trees Report Published

The Woodland Trust yesterday launched the first State of the UK’s Woods and Trees 2021 report, setting out the facts and trends on the current state of the UK’s native woods and trees.

The report shows the UK’s woodland cover has more than doubled in the last 100 years, however, this is mostly non-native planting. There is also an ongoing decline in the ecological condition of native woodlands. Key threats leading to this decline highlighted in the report include: climate impacts, imported diseases, invasive plants, mammal browsing and air pollutants.

The report recommends priority actions to reverse declines in woodland wildlife, including enhancing and protecting existing woods and trees, and filling evidence gaps through systematic monitoring.