But Lizzie I've spent the last couple of days, among the wilder bits of South Manchester, where trees are quite happily planting themselves - as I listed somewhere above: Oak, Ash, Hawthorn, Birch, Poplar, various types of Willow, Rowan etc., etc. - and all vigorous and healthy. 'Mother Nature' really does know what she's doing! In fact she's doing it too well because all my precious wild flowers are getting shaded out. Trouble is all these trees are young-ish and even-aged. The most valuable trees are old ones - and you can't plant those. Only time (several centuries) can create an old tree. Around here they automatically cut down old trees - because they are 'dangerous', 'diseased' etc. (what they really mean is 'untidy' - and we can't have that, can we?).

Meanwhile all the 'planet rapers' are ingratiating themselves by promising to plant trees (which people like you automatically assume is a 'good thing') while at the same time busily bull-dozing many of those that have planted themselves!

Whatever you say, I'm am more and more convinced that tree planting is not an answer to anything. Tree planting is just another facet of the old syndrome of humans knowing best and having 'dominion over everything' - a ruinous philosophy which has brought us to the present state of things.