Nurturing nature

摘要

Tree guards and shelters are being developed to offer much more than protection. Since its beginnings in 1995, the National Forest, in the Midlands, has not only begun to provide a pleasant landscape for 205,000 people living in the area, it is benefiting from 32.5 million pound of external funding. According to a study by the University of Derby, the cash is helping to create more than 500 jobs; achieve population growth ahead of the national average; produce a buoyant housing market in ex-coalfield locations, aid farm diversification with a 13 million pound injection from the National Forest Tender Scheme, and give rise to local tourism generating 100 million pound in income each year. Much research has been undertaken into the establishment oftrees and a glance around the plantings in the National Forest show high levels of survival can be achieved, particularly when planting with young stock. It's a shame all planting cannot be as successful. It is not unusual to find new planting throughoutthe country where mistakes are made and resulting survival levels are extremely low.