14 DAY TRIAL // High officials in the United Kingdom have announced that the country is to spend £6 million (€7.26 million/ $9.87 million) on a new green-oriented initiative. Not to beat about the bush, the United Kingdom is to use this money to plant trees, and quite a lot of them.
The country's government says that, according to its estimates, said sum of money will be more than enough for the United Kingdom to add four million trees.
The planting of these trees is expected to translate into the creation of roughly 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of new forests, The Guardian reports.
Should things go according to plan, the United Kingdom's brand-new woods will be in place in about one year's time.
“Planting 4 million trees over the coming year will help us to extend woodland cover which will benefit wildlife, improve the environment and help grow the economy,” the country's current Forestry Minister, Dan Rogerson, said in a statement.
“New forests hold economic, as well as environmental and social benefits, enabling the forestry businesses to create more jobs and play an increasing role in the nation's economic recovery,” he added.
Apart from investing in the creation of new woods across its territory, the United Kingdom is ready and willing to spend another £24 million (€29.06 million / $39.49 million) on sprucing up and protecting the forests it already has.
“Forests are a cherished national resource, which provide precious habitats for wildlife and natural spaces for generations to enjoy,” Minister Dan Rogerson explained the country's decision to also invest in better managing existing forests.
High officials in the United Kingdom say that, all things considered, a new round of investments in planting trees and managing existing forests will be announced in 2015.
Green group the Woodland Trust argues that, although these funds come as good news, the country still has a long way to go to reach its goal to have 12% of its surface covered in forests.
“At just 10%, England still has one of the lowest rates of woodland cover in Europe. It faces huge threats from disease and development with even the government's current planning policy guidelines and its high speed rail project undermining protection for irreplaceable ancient woodland,” argued Hilary Allison, the Trust's policy director.