Your article paints a bleak picture of the challenges facing reforestation in the UK (In some UK woodlands, every young tree has died. What’s going wrong? 10 July). The failure of natural regeneration – driven by drought, heat, disease and deer grazing – is not just a crisis for ancient woodlands, it’s a stark warning for the future of all UK forestry.
This ecological breakdown reveals a fundamental flaw in our current approach: we are too focused on the number of saplings in the ground and not enough on their long-term resilience. Whether through natural regeneration or new planting schemes, tree survival must be the priority. With mortality rates increasing by 90%, as the article highlights, it’s clear that traditional methods are no longer fit for purpose in a changing climate.
To build forests that can withstand future conditions, we must invest in resilience from the outset. Research into techniques that improve sapling survivability is essential to protecting ancient woodlands and establishing new ones. Innovative approaches – such as vertical farming to produce climate-adapted saplings and biochar-enhanced substrates to improve soil health – are already showing promise. These methods can yield stronger, faster-growing trees with significantly higher survival rates.
Our ancient woodlands are among the UK’s most treasured natural assets. If we are to protect and restore them – while ensuring they continue to absorb carbon and support biodiversity – we need a new approach to UK forestry, one with resilience and survivability at its core.
Alastair Collier
Chief research and development officer, A Healthier Earth
• I was really interested to read that saplings weren’t thriving in ancient forests. It is quite the opposite in my garden. I’m not much of a gardener, but every time I am moved to tidy up, most of my efforts go into pulling up, if I can, and cutting back if I can’t, little ash, sycamore, oak, yew, lime, holly and even the occasional chestnut tree. This is both from flowerpots and flowerbeds. When I cut them back they seem to grow back even stronger. What is happening that a south London garden seems desperate to become a forest and ancient forests are giving up?
Martin Cooper
Bromley, London
