Farage’s Clacton-on-Sea constituency worst ‘tree desert’ in England, research shows | Access to green space

Nigel Farage’s Clacton-on-Sea constituency is a “desert of trees”, leaving people more exposed to air pollution, poorer health, lower life expectancy and the impact of rising temperatures, according to a new report.

The city of Essex is ranked as the worst performer in England when it comes to equal access to trees, with the highest proportion of urban residents – 98.2% – living in neighborhoods with extremely low access to trees.

The research, which covered the whole of the UK, revealed a significant north-south divide, with 15 of the worst performing towns in terms of tree cover located in the north. Hartlepool’s population has particularly limited access to trees, with 86.9% of residents at risk from lack of access.

Caroline Gray, tree equity program manager at the Woodland Trust, said: “More than a million people in the UK live in these ‘tree deserts’, places where tree equity is extremely low and communities do not take advantage of the many benefits that trees offer.

“This can mean hotter homes and streets, dirtier air, higher rates of asthma and heart disease, and poorer physical and mental health. These challenges affect daily life in countless ways and, combined with broader inequalities, can even contribute to reduced life expectancy.”

The scarcity of trees in urban areas puts people more at risk of stress, anxiety, depression and poor physical health, research suggests. Trees in urban areas reduce the risk of flooding, keep the air clean and protect against rising temperatures.

The North East has been identified as the region with the highest number of ‘tree deserts’, with 13 of the worst performing English cities. London and the South East are best placed for access to tree density, including Woking and Tunbridge Wells, with five of the best performing areas located in the capital, including Lambeth, Islington and Hackney.

Gray said everyone should have easy, close access to the environmental and health benefits of trees – called tree equity. However, wealthier areas tend to have more trees in abundance, while socially deprived areas have far fewer trees.

The Woodland Trust said tree equity should be integrated into urban planning – and planted trees must be maintained and protected to ensure they continue to thrive and improve residents’ quality of life for years to come.

Gray added that the aim was not to criticize local authorities but to raise awareness of areas where people are most affected in order to encourage greater support, investment and action. “Schools and communities in the areas can apply for our free trees – we want to support local authorities and the people who live there. »

Councilor Adrian Smith, cabinet member for environment at Tendring District Council (TDC), said “characterization of areas such as Clacton as a ‘tree desert’ does not reflect the reality on the ground. More than 40,000 trees have been planted in Tendring in recent years, through the Tendring Woodland Initiative Group and with the support of partners including the Essex Forest Initiative. In addition, the council has planted more than 1,500 trees in many of our open spaces, helping to strengthen tree cover in our urban areas and bringing the benefits of green infrastructure closer to residents, as part of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund Meanwhile, community-led planting projects, the addition of memorial trees to our cemeteries and ongoing maintenance programs further demonstrate our commitment to increasing biodiversity and improving green spaces across the district.

The rankings reflect the scale of the population exposed to low tree equity, rather than simply identifying areas with the lowest overall tree cover. Forest equity not only measures abundance, but also reflects whether areas have sufficient tree cover to meet local needs – for example, in areas with high air pollution, the need for access to tree cover would be greater than in an area with cleaner air.

Trees in urban areas create habitats for wildlife, help prevent flooding by acting as natural sponges and umbrellas, improve air quality, and keep cities and towns shady and cool. But they are constantly threatened by development and put to the test in many areas by climate change.

In several cities, including Plymouth and Sheffield, the felling of urban trees has sparked public protests.