A UK tree provides hundreds of pounds of benefits a year, report finds

Exclusive: Trees standing alone and in small groups worth billions to UK, which researchers say justifies spending to protect them

• Bid to save 130 trees facing chop by Plymouth council

The huge value of trees standing alone and in small groups in the UK has been revealed in a new report, which found they provide billions of pounds worth of benefits to people every year. The trees capture climate-heating CO₂, reduce toxic air pollution and slow the flow of rainwater, cutting flood risks.

There are millions of such trees across the country, covering a combined 750,000 hectares, and making up 20% of all the nation's trees. The value of woodland has already been estimated but the report is the first to calculate a value for trees in gardens, parks, fields and along streets across the UK.