Growing Our Canopy: South Yorkshire Reaches Half-Million Tree Milestone

In a recent deep dive into the state of our local environment by David Bocking for his publication, A Bit Black Over Bill’s Mother’s, it was revealed that South Yorkshire woodland planting has hit a significant milestone.

The South Yorkshire Woodland Partnership (SYWP) has now facilitated the planting of well over 500,000 trees and shrubs across the region. This impressive total includes 162 hectares of new woodland and over seven kilometers of new hedgerows, marking a major step forward in regional conservation efforts.

While South Yorkshire’s current woodland cover of 10.5% is slightly ahead of the national average, the partnership is looking toward a much greener future. To meet the ambitious target of 16.5% canopy cover by 2050, the region needs to establish an additional 1,552 hectares of trees. This mission isn’t just about quantity; new woodlands are being designed to be climate-resilient, ensuring they can withstand shifting weather patterns and invasive diseases.

The SYWP is currently looking for landowners who want to contribute to this legacy. They provide expert guidance on everything from soil types to archaeology, ensuring the right trees are planted in the right places. Because of the various grants available for both planting and long-term maintenance, the process is often entirely cost-free for the landowner.

“If people want to plant trees, we just say: What help do you need to do that? We sort out the green tape for them.” Matt North, SYWP Manager (from Modern Woodlanding, by David Bocking)