Words by Smiley Team
The Woodland Trust is celebrating a campaign victory after the organisation teamed up with local community members to protect ancient woodlands around the west England city of Hereford.
Keeping trees and habitats intact, the council responded to pleas from locals by scrapping plans to build new roads around the area that would have caused noise pollution and disruption for surrounding wildlife.
The decision will help protect at least six ancient woodlands along with the wildlife they contain, including veteran trees which are of exceptional value for culture, landscape or conservation.
Nicole Hillier, a campaigner at the Woodland Trust which led the appeal to the local authority, said: “This is fantastic news for the ancient woods and trees of Hereford, not to mention the flora, fauna and fungi that rely on them for survival.
“The loss or damage of these centuries-old sites would have been catastrophic for the environment as they could never have been replaced, even with new planting. We are grateful to Herefordshire County Council for their decision and would like to thank all those in the local community who campaigned alongside us for their unwavering determination to save these woods.”
The council dropped plans for Hereford Southern Link Road, which already had planning permission, and the Western Bypass which was in earlier application stages.
Their decision will protect much of Grafton Wood and another unnamed wood. It will prevent indirect damage to the ancient Hayleasow Wood, also known as Newton Coppice, where a number of ancient and veteran trees have been saved.
By scrapping plans for the western bypass via the most favoured route for the project, the local authorities have protected two ancient woods – Hunderton and Rough Coppice - as well as the ancient and veteran trees they contain. The route would also have gone through a road lined with notable lime trees and through wood pasture known as Belmont Abbey.
With 500,000 supporters, The Woodland Trust is the largest organisation working to conserve woodlands in the UK. They protect, restore and plant trees around the country, helping to sustain the land through the life-giving habitats, food-source and carbon sink that trees provide.
Protecting woodlands around Hereford from pollution was a victory. But the charity has more work to do, saving other natural gems from destruction. In the same area, the council is contemplating plans for an eastern bypass which the organisation is scrutinising to assess whether it will cause significant disruption for local wildlife.
Hillier explained: “Ancient woodland is one of our rarest habitats and once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. It accounts for just 2.4 per cent of land in the UK. Ancient woodlands are highly complex ecological communities that have developed over centuries.”
There are many ways you can support The Woodland Trust, including making a donation, supporting an appeal like the campaign for woodlands across Herefordshire, or offsetting your carbon emissions by donating to plant more trees.
