Consultation Draft Bolsover Tree and Woodland Strategy

1.1 Introduction

Bolsover District is a local government district in Derbyshire, England, situated between the cities of Sheffield, Nottingham, and Derby. It encompasses a diverse mix of historic market towns, rural villages, and former coal-mining communities. The district is known for its rich industrial heritage, scenic countryside, and historic landmarks such as Bolsover Castle, which attract visitors and contribute to the area's cultural identity.

In recent years, Bolsover District has undergone significant economic and social transformation, with a focus on regeneration, infrastructure improvements, and investment in local businesses. The district benefits from its strategic location, with strong transport links to major urban centres, providing opportunities for business development, tourism, and community growth. The largest settlements include the towns of Bolsover and Shirebrook, as well as the growing towns of South Normanton and Clowne. Several major transport routes, including stretches of motorway, also run through the district from north to south. However, despite these urban connections, the majority of Bolsover District is rural, characterised by a patchwork of farms, small villages, open fields, and woodlands, all crisscrossed by hedgerows and tree-lined roads. Trees, woodlands, and open green spaces are integral to the identity of the district, shaping both the landscape and the well-being of its residents.

Recognising the vital role of trees and woodlands in a healthy, sustainable environment, Bolsover District Council has developed this Tree and Woodland Strategy through its Woodland Trust-funded Bolsover Community Woodlands project to protect and enhance the district's natural assets for future generations. The strategy assesses the extent and condition of existing tree and woodland cover, identifies where additional planting would bring the greatest benefits, and promotes accessible, biodiverse, and climate-resilient green spaces. A strategic approach is essential to balancing development pressures with conservation efforts, ensuring that trees and woodlands are properly managed and expanded in ways that support both people and wildlife.

Trees provide a wide range of benefits to people and the natural environment, collectively known as ecosystem services (ES). These include capturing and storing carbon, reducing surface water flooding, improving air quality by filtering pollutants, providing shade and cooling urban areas, supporting biodiversity, and enhancing mental health and well-being. Woodlands also provide recreational opportunities, strengthen community connections with nature, and create vital habitats for wildlife.

At a time when climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation pose increasing challenges, investing in tree planting and woodland management is more critical than ever. Expanding and maintaining Bolsover's green infrastructure will help to mitigate the effects of climate change, improve ecological connectivity, and enhance the quality of life for residents. Delivering further on the council's ambition to see many more trees planted across Bolsover District will significantly increase woodland cover, improve the character and amenity of towns and parks, and ensure that Bolsover remains a thriving, green, and resilient place to live, work, and visit.

1.2 Benefits of Trees

There are far more benefits to trees than many of us appreciate. In keeping with the benefits of other natural systems, they are also known as ecosystem services. This approach was standardised by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Commission on Ecosystem Service Management. Over 100 Ecosystem Services have been identified by the CICES system (Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services) and work continues to quantify and value each of them.

Trees play a crucial role in supporting healthy, resilient environments. The ecosystem services they provide are essential to both people and wildlife. These include improving air quality by absorbing pollutants, reducing the urban heat island effect (UHI), and mitigating flooding. Beyond their environmental benefits, trees also offer significant social and economic value by enhancing the aesthetics of communities, providing recreational spaces, and improving mental well-being. There are a large number of other benefits of trees where research continues to help assign meaningful valuations, especially in terms of quantifying societal impacts, such as an increase in house value, amenity value¹, and health improvements.

Climate adaptation - temperature regulation: Urban green infrastructure can reduce peak summer temperatures by up to 7°C.² This particular adaptation has long been adopted by municipalities in warmer locations and forms a key tenet of green infrastructure thinking. Current research extends into examining the cooling effectiveness of individual species.

Noise attenuation: Trees, hedges and woodlands act as natural barriers to sound, reducing noise pollution from traffc, industry, and urban activities contributing to a more peaceful environment.³

Increased property or rental value: A series of international studies have shown that trees increase property prices by between 5% to 18%.⁴

Increased consumer spending: Consumers are willing to spend more in shopping areas with large, well cared for trees. This has been measured as an increase of 9% to 12%.⁵

Reduced stress and improved mental health: Forest Research recently valued this particular benefit of forests and woodlands nationally at £185m.6 More trees immediately around the home (less than 100 meters) are associated with a reduced risk of being prescribed antidepressant medication. This association is especially strong for deprived groups.

Improved concentration and academic achievement: Greener schools have higher test scores, even after taking income into account. Middle school students get a boost from school greening. Planting trees within 250m of schools has the greatest effect.7

Improved recovery times from illness: Patients placed in rooms with views of nature experienced shorter stays in the hospital than patients in rooms that faced other buildings.⁸