Findings and Recommendations

Findings

There are an estimated 1.7 million trees in the Vale of Glamorgan, containing 59 different species. Urban trees in the Vale provide benefits worth £2.05 million per year. This value represents carbon sequestration, air pollution removal, and avoided surface water runoff.

There is an over-reliance on ash (Fraxinus excelsior) in both the urban and rural tree populations. In light of ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) this presents a threat to the overall resilience and sustainability of the Vale of Glamorgan’s tree resource and the benefits it provides.

Much of the Vale of Glamorgan’s urban forest is privately owned, with over half of all trees surveyed located on residential property. Strategic tree management should consider prioritising engagement with the local community to enhance and protect existing tree cover.

There is little difference in tree canopy cover between rural (14%) and urban areas (13%), both of which are below the reported averages for Wales and below recommended canopy cover targets.

The Vale of Glamorgan’s rural area is dominated by agricultural land, comprising over four fifths of all plots surveyed. This presents potential opportunities to increase canopy cover and ecological connectivity through further woodland planting and agroforestry.

Recommendations

For both rural and urban areas, set realistic and attainable canopy cover targets, taking into account the current tree cover and planting opportunities, and engage a wide range of stakeholders to help to increase overall tree cover.

Undertake tree planting to increase and maintain canopy cover where losses occur, and protect the existing tree resource. Identify priority planting areas where provision of benefits is currently low.

Build on the current understanding of the Vale’s tree population through monitoring, surveys, and collating data such as tree inventories. Raise public awareness of the value and importance of trees by creating opportunities for community engagement, using resources such as Treezilla.

Ensure that trees are viewed as an integral component of landscape character by creating quality greenspaces using considered and distinctive planting schemes. Incorporate tree establishment targets, rather than tree planting targets, into planning policy and guidance documents, to protect existing trees and help to ensure the longevity of newly-planted trees in new developments.