Environmental benefits and impacts of greenspace development

 

Summary

Woodland establishment improves the aesthetic appearance of derelict land, but it can also provide many additional environmental improvements to both the site and the surrounding area.  Forest Research has active research in the following areas:

• Impacts of climate change on pollutant linkages
• Determining the benefits of woodland on air quality
• Monitoring urban greenspace using Methuselah.

Research objectives

This research aims to identify and assess the benefits and impacts of greenspace establishment in the urban environment.

Funders and partners

The main funders and partners of this research are:

• Building Research Establishment
• CIRIA
• Forestry Commission Reclamation of man-made sites for forestry programme
• May Gurney
• Sustainable Urban Brownfield Regeneration: Integrated Management (SUBR:IM)
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
• University of Cambridge
• University of Reading

Forestry Commission policy

Use of land degraded by former industrial and urban activity makes an increasingly important contribution to the expansion of woodland. Trees planted on such sites offer immense social benefits in addition to the possibility of economic activity on formerly unproductive land. This programme supports the related objectives of the English Forestry Strategy and across Great Britain generally.

Status

• Impacts of climate change on pulltant linkages - ongoing
• Determining the benefits of woodland on air quality - proposal submitted, planned to start in 2005
• Monitoring remediated brownfield sites - scoping study in progress.

Contact

For more information contact:

Tony Hutchings
Forest Research
Alice Holt Lodge
Farnham
Surrey GU10 4LH

Tel: +44(0)1420 5265270
Fax: +44(0)1420 520180
Email: tony.hutchings@forestry.gsi.gov.uk