At the recent NAG AGM we discussed biodiversity, how to protect it, and whether the Government’s latest proposals will help.

In particular we discussed the importance of knowing where our ancient trees are. They have been around for a century or more and are an important part of our history.  If we know about them we are one step closer to giving them the care and protection they need. This can play a major part in helping to prevent inappropriate development on green field sites, as we have seen recently in Ash, where a 250-year old tree has saved the day! Developers will be less likely to try to build in localities where ancient trees have been properly recorded.

In Normandy, over a 2 year period from 2018 -19, a group of volunteers recorded 50 significant trees, most of which are recorded on the Ancient Tree Inventory (ATI) managed by the Woodland Trust. To see our trees on the ATI go to https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/tree-search/ and put in GU3 or similar postcode. Covid stopped the project, and there are more trees to be recorded. Anyone who would like to help please contact Gill Woolfson: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Another useful site is the MAGIC map hosted by DEFRA. MAGIC stands for Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside. It brings together more than 300 datasets to provide a comprehensive picture of the state of our countryside. You can tweak the interactive map to show you exactly what you are looking for; it could be ancient woodland or it could be something else. This provides a powerful tool for understanding better the richness of our natural environment and being able to defend it better.