The Forestry Commission has finally conceded that planting trees in
some parts of Britain can lead to acidification of lakes and rivers because
trees canopies 鈥榮cavenge鈥� pollutants from the air.
In a report published jointly this week, the commission and the Department
of the Environment say that sensitive water catchments around the country
should now be assessed to see how much pollution their eco-systems will
tolerate.
Forestry is linked with acidification in areas where there are high
concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and ammonia, where rainfall
is heavy and the soil has little capacity to neutralise acid. In some areas
tree canopy 鈥榮cavenging鈥� can increase the loading of sulphur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides by between 50 and 100 per cent. Worst affected, says the
report, are parts of Wales.
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