Billions of pounds of taxpayer money could be being wasted planting trees that end up dying because government tree targets are focused on planting rather than survival, they argued, amid concern that saplings were dying because they are often neglected.
Under the current system, scores of trees could be planted that are not then adequately monitored or looked after, but would count towards targets even if they died before maturity.
This, the experts said, puts the UK’s net zero strategy and biodiversity targets at risk, as they rely on a vast expansion of woodland for carbon sequestration.
In the government’s environmental improvement plan, published earlier this year, ministers committed to increase tree cover in England by 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) by 31 January 2028 and increase tree canopy and woodland cover from 14.5% to 16.5% of total land area in England by 2050.
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “Tree-planting rates are at their highest for a decade, but we know there is more to do and will continue to work with partners to increase the nation’s tree cover.
We have invested significantly in woodland management with multiple grants in place to assist landowners and managers in establishing newly planted trees and many of these are dependent on recipients providing evidence of tree survival.”
The original article contains 533 words, the summary contains 218 words. Saved 59%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Billions of pounds of taxpayer money could be being wasted planting trees that end up dying because government tree targets are focused on planting rather than survival, they argued, amid concern that saplings were dying because they are often neglected.
Under the current system, scores of trees could be planted that are not then adequately monitored or looked after, but would count towards targets even if they died before maturity.
This, the experts said, puts the UK’s net zero strategy and biodiversity targets at risk, as they rely on a vast expansion of woodland for carbon sequestration.
In the government’s environmental improvement plan, published earlier this year, ministers committed to increase tree cover in England by 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) by 31 January 2028 and increase tree canopy and woodland cover from 14.5% to 16.5% of total land area in England by 2050.
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “Tree-planting rates are at their highest for a decade, but we know there is more to do and will continue to work with partners to increase the nation’s tree cover.
We have invested significantly in woodland management with multiple grants in place to assist landowners and managers in establishing newly planted trees and many of these are dependent on recipients providing evidence of tree survival.”
The original article contains 533 words, the summary contains 218 words. Saved 59%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!