Help to save our ancient woodlands

The Woodland Trust is calling on people in Lancashire to support its campaign to protect ancient and veteran trees and save threatened ancient woods in the region following the launch of a new Government consultation.
Ancient woodland in LancashireAncient woodland in Lancashire
Ancient woodland in Lancashire

The charity’s Save our Ancients campaign follows Government proposals in the recent housing white paper to add ancient woodland and aged trees to the current list of policies that restrict development in England.

But unless amends are also made to national planning policy this will not lead to an increase in protection for our ancients, which are irreplaceable.

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In Lancashire the Trust is aware of six threatened ancient woods and has recorded more than 200 ancient or veteran trees on its Ancient Tree Inventory.

The white paper is open for public consultation and the Trust is urging people to speak up for Lancashire’s “ancients”. Current policy states that developments that impact on ancient woodland should be refused permission “unless the benefits outweigh the loss”.

This loophole has led to more than 700 ancient woods currently being at risk from development across the UK. In comparison, any loss of our built heritage is deemed to be ‘wholly exceptional’. The Trust wants ancient woodland and trees to be protected along the same lines.

Support the call to ensure policy is amended to ensure any loss to our ancients from development is wholly exceptional at woodlandtrust.org.uk/actnow by May 2nd.