A call by a Conservative MP to plant 200 million trees in England by 2020 to help prevent future floods has been welcomed by the forestry sector.
Anne Marie Trevelyan, Conservative MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed, suggested the existing 11 million target by 2020 should be increased almost 20-fold to 200 million trees.
The vicechair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Forestry made her call against the backdrop of the devastating floods in North-west England and said hugely increased planting could help reduce flood risk in the long term.
Stuart Goodall, chief executive of Confor the forestry and wood sector's trade body, said: "The terrible floods, especially in Cumbria, demonstrate that Government has to look at more than just flood defences. We need to hold rainwater in the hills so that the peak flow of water is reduced, helping flood defences to do their job.
"Planting productive forests manages water flow, while also helping wildlife, providing alternative income for farmers and locking up carbon another very relevant current issue given the climate talks in Paris".
In March Confor and Forest Research published The Role of Productive Woodlands in Water Management, a detailed report which demonstrates how productive woodlands can reduce flood risk and protect British waterways.
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