Mike Townsend, principal advisor with the Woodland Trust, warns that there is a lack of accurate data on ancient tress in the UK, he writes:
We need a robust and open system to accurately record the loss of ancient woodland, to fully realise the scale of the problem so we can tackle it effectively
We know ancient woodland is irreplaceable. Is it still being lost? Yes - despite recognition of the importance of ancient woodland it continues to be threatened by development, infrastructure projects and a gradual attrition.
From the potential catastrophic losses to the HS2 rail link and the crushing losses at quarries such as Oaken wood, to smaller but also significant losses to road improvements, housing and commercial developments.
How much is being lost? Nobody knows. While annual figures are provided for the amount of new woodland planted, there is no systematic recording of ancient woodland loss.
Website: Woodland Trust - Please mind the gap
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