Major tree planting under way as new research reveals potential to reduce carbon in South East

As National Tree Week gets under way on November 26, over 28,000 trees are being planted across the South Downs in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as a new report reveals the potential to fight climate change with woodland.

More than 12,000 trees were planted last winter, and a further 16,000 are being put into the ground this coming winter as part of the Trees for the Downs and Queen’s Canopy initiative.

It comes as a new interactive mapping tool has revealed the colossal potential to create even more woodland across Sussex and Hampshire. The potential new area of woodland – twice the size of Manchester – could store up to 37,667,500 tonnes of CO2 after 100 years.

The research, led by the National Park Authority, Sussex Nature Partnership and Woodland Trust, has produced a detailed ‘Woodland Opportunity Map’ – a key tool for landowners, farmers, local authorities, parish councils and communities to look at where is the best place to plant trees.

The Trust is working with the National Park Authority’s woodlands team to deliver the project, which is a key strand of the National Park’s ambitious ReNature campaign to create 13,000 hectares of new habitats.

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Sonia Lorenzo-Martin, who oversees woodlands in the National Park, said: ‘These life-giving trees are a fitting tribute to the memory of her late Majesty and all her years of public service to the country.

‘This new research is very significant. It shows that we have the potential to create a major carbon sink in the South East of England that can help spearhead Britain’s fight against climate change. Around a quarter of the SDNP is already wooded, so adding to that even more across the region is a very exciting prospect for our nation’s climate action.’

There also potential to create new woodland in areas outside the SDNP, including the former Forest of Bere, between Portsmouth and Southampton.

Sonia added: ‘Our big motto is ‘the right tree in the right place’. The most important thing is we now have solid evidence with which to make a real difference and also help join up habitats as part of the ReNature drive.’