The National Forest: Carbon offsetting should be a matter of last resort

The National Forest is being created across 200 square miles of central England. It is a bold project which saw woodland cover at only six per cent at the outset, compared with more than 17 per cent now. Funded principally by Defra, it receives increasing support from corporates and individuals who wish to plant the Forest. Many link their interest to carbon reduction, some of them particularly to carbon offsetting. The Forest is about much more than trees and has brought economic regeneration and social change in its wake.

Trees do absorb carbon. Depending on the species and the soil, this can be substantial over the life of a woodland. Where there is felling, (necessary for the good management of a wood), any timber then used in furniture or buildings means that carbon remains ‘locked in’. A hectare of The National Forest is likely to sequester on average each year the same carbon as 30,000 miles driven in a small car - and we planted around 350 hectares this year.

Moreover, in the reduction of the effects of climate change trees have a particularly strong role. The shade from trees in school playgrounds will assist children in summer months if and when they get hotter and drier. Trees can reduce water run off and in many parts of the world flood management will be one of the greatest challenges in climate change.

Despite the contribution of trees to the challenges of climate change, the National Forest Company agrees with the government’s position that carbon offsetting should be a measure of last resort. We all need to do what we can to reduce our carbon footprints and this means many different actions and choices.

You could argue that travelling across the country to plant a young tree in The National Forest is hardly a carbon-responsible thing to do! Surely it is better to reduce emissions? But that person coming to plant a tree in The National Forest is getting involved in something inspiring; the Forest is creating better habitats for wildlife; more places for local people to walk; a better quality of life all round. It is on the doorstep of millions of urban residents in the Midlands, (Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester all being nearby).

So, contributing to the Forest is being part of sustainable development for the area and the country, into the future. We should begin to see carbon reduction as a driver for and connected to many other Government objectives: health, sustainable communities, social cohesion. We all need to engage in this difficult debate and there is no better way than by planting a tree - or seven million, in our case.