FUTURE TREES TRUST
Fighting for
the future
Carolyne Locher reports from the Future Trees Trust
Annual Supporters Day 2019, at which long-term
strategies, ash dieback and genetic diversity were allkey topics of discussion.
T
HE Future Trees Trust Annual
Supporters Day 2019 was held at
the 560-acre Royal Botanic Gardens
(RBG) Wakehurst in Sussex, in the
Millennium Seed Bank’s seminar
room. It was a fitting venue for a morning
that saw the launch of two new strategies, ‘A
Strategy for UK Forest Genetic Resources’
and the ‘Ash Research Strategy’.
Compere for the day John Leigh
Pemberton set the scene: “Dead and
dying ash trees punctuate south-east
England’s skyline. Increasing timber prices,
significant disease pressures and the failure
to plant at the rate needed are balanced
by a strong recognition of the social,
environmental and climate change benefits
that forestry can bring. What we talk about
today is immensely important.”
Director of RBG Kew, Richard Deverell,
welcoming attendees, explained: “Kew’s
collaboration with the Future Trees Trust
(FTT) springs from a shared objective:to understand and conserve the genetic
diversity of this nation’s native trees.”
The Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) is a
gene bank conserving UK and international
seeds collections. “Launched in 2013,
the UK National Tree Seed Project has
74 species of UK native trees and
shrubs taken from 9,500 trees,
conserving approximately 14
million individual seeds.
Over 30 organisations
have contributed to
the project and the
collections (and
associated data) are
available for research
and conservation.”
The ‘Strategy for UK
Forest Genetic Resources’
is co-authored by RBG Kew,
the Centre for Ecology and
Hydrology, FTT, Forest Research
and the Woodland Trust. Supporters
include the Forestry Commission,
Confor, Natural England, Scottish Natural
Heritage, Natural Resources Wales,
universities, botanic gardens and members
of the devolved administrations. “RBG
Kew will continue contributing to projects
to understand and conserve national
(and global) forestry and to DEFRA’s Ash
Research Strategy,” said Deverell.
Keynote speaker Lord Gardiner,
Minister for Rural Affairs and
Biosecurity, said: “Trees are vital
natural assets contributing to our
food supply, the rural economy
(including timber) and habitats
vital for wildlife and biodiversity.
They help absorb air pollution,
sequester carbon, cool our
environment, reduce flooding,
provide enhanced landscapes
and are crucial for recreation
and wellbeing. Trees have
shaped our landscape and our
history. We need trees.
“Government commitsto protecting and
enhancing natural
landscapes and habitats
for future generations.
The 25-Year Environment
Plan sets out commitments to
develop a new Northern Forest, to
plant 11 million trees in woodlands
and a further one million trees in urban
areas. The Urban Tree Challenge Fund is a
response to HM Treasury releasing £10m in
the 2018 autumn budget. I hope people will
unite and form a planting army under Tree
Champion Sir William Worsley’s banner.
“Since 2012, government has invested
more than £37m in plant health. The Tree
Health Resilience Strategy (2018) contains
four Environmental Goals: Extent – in terms
of P&D we need an increase in the extent
of trees, woods and forests; Connectivity –
more trees in hedgerows and other habitats
providing corridors between woodlands;
Diversity – enhancing the genetic and
structural diversity of our treescape; and
Condition – encouraging healthier trees,
woodlands and forests.
“This strategy recognises the importance
of understanding and conserving genetic
diversity, providing the potential to adapt to
changing environmental conditions through
natural selection, and for future society to
select and develop characteristics – not
yet recognised – for different products orTHE TREE HEALTH
RESILIENCE STRATEGY HAS
FOUR ENVIRONENTAL GOALS:
EXTENT, CONNECTIVITY,
DIVERSITY AND
CONDITION.
Tim Rowland,
chief executive
officer, Future
Trees Trust.