HC Deb 10 December 1990 vol 182 c270W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of trees and hedgerows which have been lost to the United Kingdom, on an annual basis, for the years 1979 to 1989.

Mr. Baldry

No records of the number of trees lost in the period are available. In the storms of 1987 and 1990 we estimate that some 19 million trees were destroyed— mostly in woodlands. However, despite such losses woodland cover in Great Britain has increased from some 2 million hectares to over 2.3 million hectares in the past 10 years.

Various estimates of hedgerow loss have been made for past periods but none covers precisely the period to which the hon. Member refers. A survey of landscape change in England and Wales carried out for my Department and the Countryside Commission in 1986 by Hunting Technical Services Ltd. showed annual losses of some 2,600 miles of hedgerow between 1947 and 1969, 2,900 miles between 1969 and 1980, and 4,000 miles between 1980 and 1985. However a postal survey of farmers carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1985 showed annual losses of 500 miles between 1980 and 1985. The two surveys used different methodologies and neither can be regarded as definitive. Work is continuing to improve information both on the rate of removal and on the extent of new planting.

Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the mileage of hedgerows which have been removed from England and Wales during the last 10 years.

Mr. Baldry

Various estimates have been made for past periods but none covers precisely the period to which the hon. Member refers.

A survey of landscape change in England and Wales carried out for my Department and the Countryside Commission in 1986 by Hunting Technical Services Ltd. showed annual losses of some 2,600 miles of hedgerow between 1947 and 1969, 2,900 miles between 1969 and 1980, and 4,000 miles between 1980 and 1985. However, a postal survey of farmers carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1985 showed annual losses of 500 miles between 1980 and 1985. The two surveys used different methodologies and neither can he regarded as definitive.

Work is continuing to improve information both on the rate of removal and on the extent of new planting.