‘Tree-bilee’ campaign highlights the importance of trees and greenspace

People across the UK are being urged to plant trees to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

The Queen’s Green Canopy (CGC) initiative launched by the Prince of Wales today will make three million free saplings available for schools and community groups¹.

The Prince has warned of an “alarmingly changing climate” and has urged “swift and immediate action”. 

The campaign also calls for the protection of existing woodlands and forests

Highlighting how the appreciation of green spaces has deepened during the pandemic, and implicitly the importance of protecting our mature trees, the Prince says:

“I know that so many people during this terribly difficult year have had their appreciation of trees and other green spaces around them deepened, and therefore it is our duty, given how long it takes for a tree to mature, to plant trees now for future generations to enjoy and for the immense benefits, particularly in towns and cities, from their shade in an ever more overheated climate.”

Protect and enhance our natural environment

Our own council, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM), recognises the importance of Nature in its Environment & Climate strategy².  Under Theme 3 ‘Natural Capital’, the strategy states we must ‘Improve the natural environment and establish the principle of net gain’.  It says the objectives are to ‘Protect and enhance our natural environment’, ‘green our towns and urban areas’ and ‘Increase awareness of biodiversity’.

Surely plans to build 2,000 homes on Maidenhead Golf Course, concreting over the majority of this green space is taking us in the wrong direction?

As well as providing vital wildlife habitats and locking up carbon dioxide, a forested countryside can soak up water – a form of ‘natural flood management’ returning water to local aquifers.

We urge RBWM to change direction, to protect the precious greenspace leased to Maidenhead Golf Club, and build on all the available brownfield sites instead.

References

1. https://queensgreencanopy.org/
2. ‘Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Environment and Climate Strategy 2020-2025’ https://www.rbwm.gov.uk/media/2288/download