Benefits of trees

Most obviously, trees are vital in supporting biodiversity and fighting climate change.

Something like 53% of UK species are in decline – an alarming figure – and so many of them rely on woodland including bats, birds, insects, fungi and even small mammals.

Trees remove carbon from the atmosphere and store (sequester) it using photosynthesis, which can lock it in for centuries. They also (as we’ve said so many times about hedgerow) mitigate flood damage by absorbing excess water.

Segueing into food production, trees and hedgerow benefit farmers by improving soil health, reducing erosion, providing shade and sheltering livestock. They also reduce the amount of run-off and pollution.

Trees are also used for green spaces in urban areas, creating shade, absorbing water and reducing pollution, which causes a lot of health issues. This is why green areas in towns and cities are so important.

Finally, trees and woodlands are good for both physical and mental health, providing a variety of health benefits including increased immunity and stress reduction.

This is why it’s so important for us to plant, protect and educate about trees!

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Oaks support more wildlife than any other UK tree species – around 2,300 in total. This includes 326 dependent species of which 229 are rarely found elsewhere (source: Woodland Trust). Oaks can also live for 1,000 years!

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Around 53% of UK species are in decline but the figure rises to 58% for butterflies. A third of all woodland wildlife species are in decline with one in ten at risk of extinction.

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An estimated 213 million tonnes of carbon is stored in living UK trees while a mixed native woodland can store over 400 tonnes (including roots and soil).

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Trees support wildlife, clean the air and improve wellbeing, making them important in urban areas. Pollution-resilient species such as sycamore, silver birch and London plane are ideal.

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Immersing yourself in nature is proven to have health benefits including reducing stress, anxiety and depression. It can also improve immunity by increasing production of natural killer (NK) cells.

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Phytoncides are chemicals released by trees, especially conifers, that strengthen our immune, nervous and circulatory systems. They are the familiar smell of forest.

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