Reforestation
People have always valued forests because they are the source of wood which in turn has a large number of uses ranging from inexpensive fuel source to furniture making, flooring, decorative arts, etc. However, clearing of woodland for farmland and increased demand for timber in later periods have resulted in deforestation of large areas all over the world, while the United Kingdom was left with 5% of wooded areas by 1919. At that time, the British government became aware that it needs to act immediately. In fact, the areas covered by woodland have doubled by the end of the 20th century but the recovery process is still ongoing. In addition, Britain’s forests cannot meet the demand for timber. At the moment of writing, 10% of all timber used in the United Kingdom is home-grown, while the rest 90% is imported.
In order to supply its population with timber (the industry and population use it approximately 50 million tonnes per year) and increase the woodland areas each logged tree needs to be replaced not by one but four or more new ones. But not just with any kind. Most native woods in the United Kingdom are broadleaved which means that the best replacement are broadleaved tree species that are native to the country (those that existed in the United Kingdom before 1600 AD and were not introduced by humans). Fast-growing conifer trees seem very attractive option when it comes to timber industry and supplying the demand for timber which is also the main reason why most “new” woods between the 1930’s and 1980’s were confer plantations. However, these are not native to the United Kingdom except for some parts of Scotland. Non-native tree species, especially conifers have been shown to do more damage than benefit because they have created a dense shade once established and increased the soil’s acidity which has seriously disrupted the existing ecosystem including the ancient trees. For that reason conifer plantations were slowly replaced by broadleaved trees that exceeded 50% of all planted tress by the mid-1990’s. According to the experts, conifer plantations fortunately have not caused irreversible damage.
Reforestation is not important for economic benefits only but it is the key for preservation of Britain’s unique ecosystem as well as native plant and animal species many of which have been on the edge of extinction. Thousands of plants and animals depend on woodland which provides them food or shelter, or both. Many animals spend at least some part of their time in woodland, while some live exclusively in the woods. Native wildlife depends on native woodland which is why it is crucial to replace logged tress with native ones in order to create as similar environment to the original one as possible. And the results of reforestation with native species has already shown encouraging results. Many previously endangered species can be already encountered in the woods, while biologists reported about finding species they thought to be extinct. This is very exciting because it clearly proves that the current forest management and reforestation policy are on the right track although it is too early to celebrate.
Woodland has a large number of direct and indirect benefits for people, while the most important of all is perhaps the reduction of carbon dioxide which is one of the main contributors to the climate change. All plants absorb carbon dioxide and some other air pollutants while releasing pure oxygen. The environmentalist have been strongly campaigning against deforestation and promoting reforestation in areas where woodland has been cleared because the more the trees the less the carbon dioxide which is the key to reversing the global warming.
Reforestation is no longer just a wishful thought of environmentally conscious individuals but has become an integral part of both modern forest management and timber industry. Planting a tree for every cut tree enables us to achieve everything: harvest wood for timber and paper, fight the climate change, preserve the biodiversity, save endangered plant and animal species as well as preserve the woodland itself. After all, woods and trees have a unique appeal and beauty by themselves which has inspired many artists, while woodland heritage is just as important as historic buildings and monuments.