White Rose Forest Partnership
Natural England are working together with partner organisations to help stem the decline of woodland in West Yorkshire through the White Rose Forest Partnership.
The White Rose Forest partnership is a wonderful initiative that brings together organisations like Natural England, Local Authorities, the Forestry Commission and Sustrans. Its aim is to actively improve the quality of life in West Yorkshire, by contributing to the expansion and management of trees, woodlands and green spaces throughout the county.
To date the White Rose Forest has created over 100 hectares of new woodland throughout the county – that’s the equivalent of 100 Millennium Squares in Leeds. The trees and woodland show what can be achieved when organisations like Natural England, local authorities, voluntary organisations and community groups work together.
Natural England has contributed towards the Treesponsibility - Treewise project, which forms part of the White Rose Forest. Treesponsibility is a tree-planting and environmental education programme in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, aiming to involve young people in planting a minimum of 7,500 trees. For children in the inner urban and more deprived areas, the tree-planting will take place within the context of a three-day environmental awareness residential in which they will stay in a Scout hut in the wilds of the Pennines, experience locally sourced seasonal food, and take part in a range of walks and activities.
Through their participation in Treewise, the children will explore the interrelationship between human activity and the natural world, and learn about trees and traditional woodland management techniques such as coppicing.
Projects like this will help the White Rose Forest to:
Make the towns and cities of West Yorkshire more attractive and contribute to their economic regeneration.
Improve the air quality of West Yorkshire by planting trees to break up air movement, trap and absorb pollutants.
Reduce carbon dioxide, by promoting the use of woodland based biomass as a source of renewable energy to help in the fight against Global climate change.
Reduce stress, by providing a green environment which people find more relaxing.
Providing shade from over exposure to the sun and reducing the associated health risks.
Reduce the impact of rainstorms and the risk of flooding by woodland and wetland creation.
You can find out more by visiting the White Rose Forest website
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