Sasha: In 2019, Britain legislated for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This is a sizable commitment to transforming our economy and our society. We have announced a long-term partnership with the Woodland Trust. Together, we will plant 10 million trees by 2030. This will significantly help towards the reforestation of the UK, increase the UK carbon sink and improve public health.
Luke: Welcome to Tring Park.
Sasha: What a beautiful sight!
Luke: Yeah it's a good one isn't it? It's a good example of hundreds we've got around the country, you could say it's a good example as well of what you guys are striving to create with your tree planting in the future.
Sasha: Yes, definitely.
Luke: Woodlands like these can store over 400 tons of carbon per hectare. If you want to know more I know someone who can tell you all about it.
Sasha: How exactly do trees absorb carbon?
Andrew: To take you back to school, think about photosynthesis. It's bringing together carbon dioxide and water, and using sunlight to turn that into energy, which it then uses to grow.
A tree captures carbon molecules not just in its trunk which you would imagine, but also in its roots and actually in the soil as well.
It lives for hundreds of years and that gives you lots of opportunities to absorb carbon, and even when a tree dies, all that carbon isn't released back into environment. You trap it in the long term so it's a great way of capturing it.
Sasha: So Luke, 10 million trees, that's a lot of trees! What's the plan?
Luke: It is a lot of trees. We help farmers with planting trees on their land and the partnership with you guys is really going to help with that.
David: This is Home Farm Screveton in darkest Nottinghamshire.
Sasha: How many trees have been planted on your land?
David: Over 15,000 since we've been working with the Woodland Trust. Trees have a great part to play in the future of farming. We have an opportunity over many other industries to become a carbon zero industry. We're really trying to achieve carbon zero within the next 10-15 years and then we think we can manage that.
Sasha: There's a way to go yet, but you can already see some of the benefits. Woodlands are such beautiful, peaceful places to spend time too. Perhaps what's most important is that we taking responsibility for future generations!
