New vision for green growth at Sherwood Forest

On March 6, the National Trust, RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and Woodland Trust, the UK’s four largest land-owning Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), presented their vision for green growth in Sherwood Forest to an influential audience of over 70 local authority and business leaders, local landowners and government agencies and other guests at an event, hosted the School of Artisan Food, at Welbeck Estate.

The vision has been developed following discussions convened by the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire Sir John Peace.

The NGOs, which together care for more than 5,000 sites covering half a million hectares, believe that the protection of iconic landscapes such as Sherwood Forest and investment in woodlands, wetlands and other wildlife habitats should be central to efforts to mitigate climate change, conserve soils and water resources and creating liveable towns and cities.

Sir John said: “We are currently facing an unprecedented climate and biodiversity emergency, something that threatens our economy, landscapes, wildlife and way of life.

“There is an urgent need for us to revaluate our relationship with the land locally in Nottinghamshire and think globally to ensure that we leave it in a better state than we inherited it.

“This will involve taking significant action urgently and restoring our natural habitats in one of the most recognisable and iconic landscapes in the world, Sherwood Forest, is crucial.”

Recent data says that if the UK is to decarbonise by 2050, UK woodland cover needs to increase from 13 per cent to 17 per cent.

Sir John continued: “I am delighted at how quickly the discussions with the four NGOs have progressed.

Delegates at the event signed a special Sherwood Accord to encourage collaboration, increased investment in habitat restoration and a commitment to ensuring that it addresses issues such as reducing carbon emissions and improving people’s health and wellbeing are at the heart of decision-making.