Welcome to Space4trees.org.uk - Trees, Woods and People in a Sustainable Future - Making Space4trees

Space4trees - title - making space4trees

The IRS Vision

“The East Midlands will be recognised as a region with a high quality of life and sustainable communities that thrives because of its vibrant economy, rich cultural and environmental diversity and the way it creatively addresses social inequalities, manages its resources and contributes to a safer, more inclusive society.”

Space4trees supports the IRS vision for sustainable development by highlighting the growing contribution which trees and woodlands make to the health and diversity of our environment, to the vitality of our economy and to the quality of life of people who live and work in the region.

The challenge

Space4trees challenges all those with a stake in the future success of our region to recognise the major contribution made by trees and woodlands and to ensure that this important resource is effectively protected and managed.

The priorities

From regional consultation and discussion Space4trees has identified aims, and guiding principles in 4 priority areas.

Trees and People	Aim To provide and promote more opportunities for everyone to enjoy the social, health and educational benefits of trees and woodlands.
	Guiding Principles Investment in new and improved access will be focused in areas where trees and woodland are appropriate to the local environment and can help to meet identified green infrastructure needs. Provision of access will be supported by appropriate promotion, communication and community outreach. Priority will be given to the delivery of community and health benefits where need is greatest in terms of disadvantage, health deprivation or social exclusion. The benefits of trees and woodlands will be developed and delivered in collaboration with community development, regeneration and health initiatives.
Trees and the Environment	Aim To maximise the contribution of trees and woodlands to the region’s natural, cultural and historic environment and ensure that trees and woodlands are better able to withstand external environmental pressures.
	Guiding Principles The environmental contribution of trees, woods and wooded environments will be maximised within regional biodiversity conservation and enhancement areas and in other localities which are shown to have significant areas or clusters of ancient woodland sites and features. The contribution of trees, woodlands and wooded features to the wider environment in urban and rural areas will based on a good understanding of local landscape character, cultural history, archaeology and ecology.Strategies to enable priority woodlands, wooded environments and features to adapt to the impact of climate change will focus on the creation of more robust and sustainable habitat networks. Woodlands and trees will have an important role in both the mitigation and the management of the impacts of climate change and other pressures on the environment.Woodland sites of special scientific interest will be brought into favourable or recovering condition and action will be focused on the recovery of priority habitats and species. The restoration or improvement of native woodlands and associated habitats will be the management priority on the majority of planted ancient woodland sites. The restructuring of (recent) woodland will be supported where the restoration of other national priority habitats is sustainable at a landscape scale.Opportunities to create more sustainable woodland and wooded environments will be actively sought as a result of reforms to agricultural policy and support.
Trees and the Economy	Aim To encourage innovation, enterprise and growth of woodland related businesses and to enhance their contribution to the regional economy.
	Guiding Principles Priority areas for investment in physical regeneration and the development of more sustainable communities, identified in the regional spatial strategy, will inform the targeting of support for the growth of woodland based business activities. The contribution to strategic economic development objectives in areas such as rural development, sustainable tourism and the growth of environmental technologies will be maximised through more effective collaboration with economic development bodies and delivery programmes. The marketing of regional wood products and services will be supported by promotion of UK forestry standards and an increased uptake of woodland certification. Business support, advice and training provisions will be more targeted to meet the particular needs of the woodland sector. Area based initiatives, special projects and other forms of partnership activity will be encouraged and supported to work across the public, private and voluntary sectors and to achieve economies of scale through co-operation and collaboration.
Communication and Collaboration	Aims To create a better understanding of the roles and benefits of trees, woodlands and wooded environments and support the sharing of information, innovation and good practice.
	Guiding Principles Education, learning and interpretation activities will aim to engage a broadly based audience and to provide a positive experience of the woodland environment in a range of settings. Community participation in creation, conservation and management activities will be supported and encouraged. The learning gained from area based woodland initiatives and special projects will be more actively promoted and applied more widely. Information exchange and the opportunity for more collaborative working and partnership will be encouraged and supported between the public, private and voluntary sectors. A continued process of integration will ensure that the Regional Forestry Framework remains mutually supportive of the policies and actions within relevant components of the Integrated Regional Strategy.