Recent council decisions to cut down trees in Sheffield and Plymouth have prompted outcry from local residents and demonstrated how passionate we can be about preserving trees in urban environments. Research carried out on behalf of Friends of the Earth shows the dramatic impact trees have on bringing down temperatures in urban areas, and calls to increase our woeful tree cover in the UK are gathering momentum. 

Inspired by conversations with the CEO of one of the most ambitious rewilding projects in the UK, and a data scientist who specialises in the interpretation of mapping data, Emma Newman imagines a future where trees are valued more in both rural and urban environments and reflects on how that could benefit people and planet. 

In this episode we hear from: 

• Trees for Life, a charity working to rewild the Scottish Highlands
• Author Justina Robson
• Terra Sulis, a community interest company that uses open data to conduct research and pilot nature-friendly projects

Additional resources

• The relationship between heatwaves and premature births
• First major study examining the link between heat, pollution and premature births
• Urban heat map of the UK
• Woodland opportunity map for England
• Chew Valley Plants Trees

Support the show