Tree-hee! Campaigning Roz welcomes COP26 reforestation promise

A DARLINGTON woman leading a drive to plant thousands of trees in the area has welcomed global leaders’ move this week to end deforestation of the planet and commit to reforestation.

Roz Henderson is so passionate about the need for more trees that she quit her job as an accountant last year to launch the Darlington Forest Project, which has already planted 9,000 trees.

And she was delighted this week to see the issue of tree depletion across the globe met square-on by more than 100 world leaders, who have promised to end and reverse deforestation by 2030, in the COP26 climate summit’s first major deal.

Brazil, where huge stretches of the Amazon rainforest – ‘the earth’s lungs’ – have been cut down, was among the signatories on Tuesday.

The pledge includes almost £14bn of public and private funds, and Roz hopes it marks a landmark moment where tens of billions of trees that have been lost to the world in recent decades begin to be replaced.

She said: “The replacement and growth of trees, and the decision not to cut them down in the first place, is one of the most important moves the world could make in terms of tackling the climate crisis and reducing global warming.

“The decision at COP26 will give heart to people like me and those supporting initiatives like the Darlington Forest Project, that we are not fighting a losing battle and that we can build a better, safer, more environmentally-friendly world for future generations.”

However, Roz also warned that the headline announcements will mean nothing if words are not followed by actions this time.

“Similar promises were made in Paris half-a-dozen years ago but deforestation has actually increased since then, so it is important this time that it is policed and monitored, and goals are met.

“It is encouraging, though, that the COP meeting has secured this and this time around it does feel as though there’s a genuine desire to make changes that can be measured and enforced.

“The devil will be in the detail, so now that the leaders have left COP26, it will be up to an army of negotiators to make sure these targets stick.”

While global leaders make headlines trying to save the planet, the Darlington Forest Project is looking to do its bit locally to raise awareness of the importance and need for tree planting. 

Launched in 2019, it has already planted more than 9,000 trees and is encouraging the public to get involved in tree-planting sessions in the forthcoming tree-planting season, from December to March.

Environmental groups across Durham and the Tees Valley have organised a series of events, hoping to keep COP26 in the spotlight regionally as much as possible.

The latest regionwide event is the COP26 Global Day of Action, set to take place this Saturday, November 6, with dozens of low-key and high-profile events planned across the North East from protests to Green Fairs to highlight climate issues.

* If anyone wants to get involved with the Darlington Forest Project, they can find out more at darlingtonforestproject.org.uk.