Public understanding of the role of trees and forests in tackling climate change might be increasing, the results of the Forestry Commission's latest UK Survey of Public Opinion of Forestry suggest.
Among the results was a reduction of six percentage points - down from 55 per cent in 2007 to 49 per cent this year - in the number of people incorrectly agreeing with the statement that "the United Kingdom could offset all its greenhouse gas emissions by planting more trees".
And the proportion of respondents agreeing with the statement that "trees are good because they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere" increased, from 80 per cent in 2007 to 84 per cent this year.
A set of questions in the survey was designed to ascertain respondents' views about the way in which the UK's forests should be managed in response to climate change. The responses reflected a general belief that forestry is a method that can be used to mitigate climate change and its effects. For example, large majorities agreed or strongly agreed that:
- "a lot more trees should be planted" (91 per cent);
- "more information should be provided about the ways in which wood can be used to lessen our impact on the environment" (86 per cent); and
- "different types of trees should be planted that will be more suited to future climates" (71 per cent).
Only 13 per cent believed that "there is nothing anyone could do that would make any difference".
The survey also canvassed public opinion on topics including:
- forest management and the use of public money to support forestry - 98 per cent of respondents agreed that there was at least one reason why public money should be used to plant and manage woodland for public benefit;
- woodfuel - 11 per cent of respondents reported using wood as a fuel in their home, whether on its own or with other fuels;
- woodland recreation - 77 per cent said they had visited woodlands in the past few years for walks, picnics or other recreation;
- engagement with forestry issues - 9 per cent reported that they had been consulted about woodland plans, involved in voluntary woodland work or a community-based woodland group, or taken part in an organised tree-planting event;
- children in woods and forests - 82 per cent of those with children agreed that "woods are good places for my children to learn about the outdoors"; and
- sources of forestry advice to the Government - the Forestry Commission received the greatest support "as a source of advice for the government overall", with 71 per cent rating is as their first, second or third choice.
Publication of the survey's results comes just over a month before an independent scientific assessment of the role of the UK's forests in climate, and their potential role in mitigating climate change and its effects, is published on November 25th. It is expected that the assessment, commissioned by the Forestry Commission and announced in April 2008, will play an important role for many years in underpinning and informing forestry policy and guidance in the light of expected changes in the UK's climate.
This year's survey interviewed a representative sample of 2011 adults in all parts of the UK. The full survey report is available from the Forestry Commission website at www.forestry.gov.uk/statistics, as are companion reports for the individual results for England, Scotland and Wales. (Preliminary results for each of the three countries were published in June 2009.) Further information is available from Gilly Diggins, statistician, on 0131 314 6218; statistics@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.
NOTES TO EDITOR:
1. Surveys of Public Opinion of Forestry have been carried out every two years since 1995.
2. The UK cannot plant enough trees to offset all its carbon emissions - it would require about 50 million hectares, or about twice the land area of the UK, to achieve that. However, the right trees in the right places can make a contribution to mitigating climate change and its effects. They can, for example, sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, help society to cope with its effects, such as by helping to cool towns and buildings and alleviate floods, and provide sustainable, low-carbon products such as timber and woodfuel.
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