New weapon launched in fight to save ancient woods from destruction
Research from the Woodland Trust shows 800 ancient woods in the UK, covering a total of 26,000 hectares, have come under threat from destruction in the last decade. That’s 100 square miles - an area equivalent to two-thirds of the size of Lough Neagh.
In Northern Ireland, ancient woodland (land wooded since at least 1600) is particularly scarce, covering only 0.08 per cent of the landscape; by comparison ancient woodland is thought to cover around 2 per cent of Britain. It is one of our richest wildlife habitats, our equivalent of the rainforest, yet many of our oldest woods have been lost to agriculture and development since the 1960s. In total, 273 of Northern Ireland’s ancient and long-established woods have been cleared since that time.
Patrick Cregg of the Woodland Trust comments: “This is a worrying picture. Research shows that Northern Ireland’s oldest woods are small, fragmented and disappearing fast. They are places of great beauty and tranquillity, home to many rare and vulnerable wildlife species. Once lost, they’re gone for good and yet we continue to bury them under tonnes of concrete.” He continued: “If these woods were buildings they would be protected to the highest grading. But natural heritage is not afforded the same importance, despite the fact many ancient woodland sites date back far beyond that of the built environment.”
The Woodland Trust recently asked the Northern Ireland Executive to play its part for ancient woodland, appealing for absolute legislative protection for this finite resource. The charity is now calling on the public to get active and help save the UK’s rainforests, safeguarding them for wildlife and for future generations to learn from and enjoy.
Patrick continued: “We need eyes and ears to help stop ancient woodland destruction on our doorsteps. That’s why the Woodland Trust has launched WoodWatch to provide tools and information for people to find and save threatened woodland in their local areas.”
Those who want to get involved can find all they need to help them navigate the planning system and learn how to run a successful campaign at www.woodwatch.org.uk. Through the interactive map, people can locate and update the Woodland Trust on threats to ancient woodland in their area. Funding will become available from next year to help kick start local campaigns, and cover costs such as banner design and leaflet printing.
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Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
Kaye Coates at the Woodland Trust’s Bangor Office on 028 9127 5787; email kayecoates@woodlandtrust.org.uk or
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121; e-mail media@woodlandtrust.org.uk
Case study: Castle Hume Golf Course
Creation of a golf course at Castle Hume, County Fermanagh in 2005 led to the loss of 17 of the 29 hectares of ancient/long-established woodland identified on the site. Estate maps dating back to 1768 clearly show parts of the estate as heavily wooded.
An Environmental Impact Assessment did not recognise the irreplaceable nature of the woodland, or the 65 veteran oaks on the site, 24 of which were removed. Despite the developer’s recognition that the woods were important, Planning Service gave permission for the golf course to go ahead because of its potential economic benefits to the area.
This case study highlights the need for such development proposals to be tested against the principles for sustainable development. Ancient woodland is a finite resource and, once destroyed, cannot be replaced.
Take a look at the following clips. They are entertaining, but with a serious message
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IXdTsPuatOc
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-2Hd4MhSWmM
Back on the Map
The Woodland Trust has recently produced the first-ever comprehensive record of Northern Ireland’s ancient and long-established woodland. To find out more visit www.backonthemap.org.uk
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Here in Northern Ireland the Woodland Trust cares for 52 woods. These woods contain a mix of recently planted woodland, mature woodland and ancient woodland (that’s land continuously wooded since at least 1600).
