PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
NATIONAL TREE WEEK (8 December 2008)

That this House congratulates the Tree Council on the launch of the 34th National Tree Week with its theme of planting trees to green the future; further congratulates the Trees and Design Action Group on publishing draft guidelines aimed at developing better understanding about trees amongst developers, planners, architects, landscape and urban designers and all other concerned professionals; welcomes moves to encourage both urban and rural communities to rise to the challenge of ensuring a green legacy for successive generations; acknowledges the responsibility to maintain, protect and increase the impressive tree inheritance of which the current generation are now custodians, left by previous generations; urges those in positions of responsibility to safeguard existing trees whilst ensuring the environment benefits from new plantings; recognises that major canopy trees, in particular, will play a critical role in mitigating the extremes of climate change in urban areas as well as supporting wildlife, encouraging health and well-being and enhancing neighbourhoods and local identity; and acknowledges that a society grows great when people plant trees in whose shade they will never sit, whereas a society with no trees has no future.

Sponsored by:
Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Labour)