As the debate over reclassification of the green belt rages on, a quieter crisis has been unfolding in our forests
Between 2006 and 2015, Britain endured 3300 thousand hectares of permanent woodland loss to become one of the least forested countries in Europe. This issue has long since been raised by environmentalists, but is rarely considered in the wider national conversation about our green spaces.
It might therefore have come as a surprise to some when last week, the government announced a £7.5 million investment in response to this crisis for a new national forest, which will span the West of England. The Western Forest will include 20 million new trees covering 2,500 hectares around Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset and has already been widely celebrated as a forward-thinking and proactive approach to restoring our woodlands. There is another, perhaps unintended consequence of this investment though that will play an important role in shaping how we think about green space across the region.
Balancing green priorities
The West of England is a green hub in every sense of the word. The Greens are the biggest party in Bristol, which is also home to England’s tallest wind turbine, and the countryside around areas such as Bath and the Cotswolds are rich in National Landscapes. Herein lies a fundamental contradiction though: in order to develop the housing, energy and transport infrastructure required for a sustainable future, some are increasingly looking to build on the region’s coveted green spaces. This conflict has come to a head multiple times in recent months, with vocal campaigners from across the region stymieing progress on solar farms, wind farms and housing developments.
This makes worrying news for any of those looking to build a new green economy. This includes ambitious projects such as the joint venture between Bristol City Council and Ameresco, Bristol City Leap, which aims to decarbonise the city in the next five years, in part through construction of large-scale renewable infrastructure. Protests also threaten progress for the region’s various sustainable transport initiatives such as the Joint Local Transport Plan 4 (JLTP4) developed by local authorities across the west and challenge the ability of local government to meet the regional housing targets. Ultimately, all these initiatives require developments that threaten to encroach on the landscape, including the green and grey belt.
Unlocking new possibilities
The Western Forest though has the potential to help quell backlash to this much needed development, whatever land it involves, in a number of ways.
Firstly, it will act as an important carbon sink, with millions of new trees helping to absorb CO₂ as they grow and mature. By embedding the forest into infrastructure planning, local authorities and developers will be better placed to meet sustainability targets while pressing ahead with essential projects. This is also true of the increase in biodiversity that the forest will enable, as well as its potential to reduce flood risks.
It will also hopefully reassure sceptics that green spaces are in fact being considered strategically by government. Rather than treating each project in isolation, the forest signals a more holistic approach to land use. If the public sees that truly green spaces such as the Western Forest are protected and enhanced as part of the national plan, it may take the heat out of the green belt debate.
Lastly, the Western Forest is poised to become a unique asset that the West of England can be proud of – one that has the potential to unify diverse groups around a shared appreciation for nature and facilitate more productive conversations about how to protect the local environment.
The Western Forest then is not only a win for environmental campaigners, it’s a win for sustainable development in all its forms whether that’s transport or energy infrastructure, biodiversity or public health.