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Future Forests

Is the crisis in Britain's ash forests a vision of the future? Tom Heap examines the prospects for the UK's beloved woodlands in an age of global trade and climate change.

The crisis in Britain's ash forests came as a shock to public and politicians. But is it a vision of the future for our woodlands? Stressed by climate change and vulnerable to pests and diseases crossing the English Channel the prospects seem grim.

In a special edition of Costing the Earth Tom Heap asks what our forests will look like in the future. Is there anything we can do to stem the flow of disease, can our native trees be made more resilient or should we consider planting a wider range of trees? Tom visits Lithuania where ash dieback disease first came to attention in Europe to find out how they've come to terms with new threats to their forests and meets the experts and enthusiasts with a fresh approach to protecting our forests.

Producer: Alasdair Cross.

Available now

25 minutes

Last on

Sat 15 Dec 2012 06:07

A Coast Redwood at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire

A Coast Redwood at Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire

Sunset at Westonbirt

Sunset at Westonbirt

Tom meets the Forestry Commission's John Weir beneath a Coast Redwood

Tom meets the Forestry Commission's John Weir beneath a Coast Redwood
The national tree collection at in Gloucestershire holds many clues to the future look of our forests.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 13 Dec 2012 15:00
  • Sat 15 Dec 2012 06:07

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