If You Go Down to The Woods Today
During Grown in Britain Week, it's the small woodland management organisations who help to protect our heritage and treasury of natural England's beauty.
For immediate release
16 October 2014
If You Go Down to The Woods Today
During Grown in Britain Week, it's the small woodland management organisations who help to protect our heritage and treasury of natural England's beauty.
It’s been four years since central government attempted to sell our 258,000 hectares of England’s forests for a measly £250m. The people united against these plans; only 2% of the population supported the proposals, protests happened around the country and over half a million people signed 38 Degrees’ petition to save our forests. After months of worry, the government realised it didn’t understand how much forests mean to people.
This week (13 – 19 October) is Grown in Britain Week; a national celebration of our woods and values and products they contribute to our society. Supported by construction and forestry industries, government and many others; Grown in Britain aims to show case and explore the sustainable use of our domestic natural wood resource.
Britain’s forests employ 64,000 people and contribute £4.1bn towards GDP thus making woodland management services an essential industry. With only 54% of our forests being actively managed and the UK being a net importer of £5bn of wood-based products: this figure could be much, much higher.
However, to understand the true value of trees, the government should consider how two thirds of the UK population enjoy spending their time during an estimated 350 million trips each year.
Woodland managers like Deeper Green Services see the wood for the trees and seek to foster the value of our forests. When approaching a new project, they don’t just look at the price of timber – they look at the wider value woodland currently has and its potential benefits for the local community. "It’s a common perception that woods are better left untouched", said Gareth, director of the woodland management service.
Over the last thirty years Deeper Green Services has seen a change of focus from their clients. Woodland owners, be they private or charitable trusts are looking to the future, thinking bigger and more holistically about how they can add real value to their trees.
Deeper Green Services has helped improve and increase the use of woodlands across Somerset and the surrounding counties of Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire. Woodland owners are not only realising the educational importance of their forests but discovering the benefits of a volunteer workforce.
One in ten visitors to forests is already volunteering in helping to care for woodlands. Wherever possible, Deeper Green Services intends to connect communities to their trees, forming a mutually beneficial partnership, offering to improve and create new access routes, run volunteer programmes and educational events and support owners in formal applications for funding to develop their woodlands.
Small organisations like Deeper Green Services play a critical role in our enjoyment of woodland. They have the agility and local knowledge to respond to local community and woodland’s needs. With their help, our woodlands will work for us.
To find out more about the services provided by Gareth and his team at Deeper Green Services, please visit their website at: http://deepergreenservices.co.uk/
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