Results 11 to 20 of 131
Tropical forests help to generate vast amounts of rainfall each year, adding weight to arguments for protecting them as water and climate pressures increase, say researchers. A new study led by the University of Leeds has put a monetary value on one of forests’ least recognised services as a source of rainfall to surrounding regions,...
New research shows that careful woodland design can avoid tree-planting on high-carbon soils and that new woodland creation guidelines in England are likely to reduce soil organic carbon losses. The research is published today in Ecological Solutions and Evidence. Blog post by Francesca Darvill, lead author of the study: Targeting the Right Soils: How Woodland...
Access to trees and greenspaces is consistently low across English cities according to a new study led by the University. Researchers used a recognised three-part framework for measuring tree and greenspace access in urban neighbourhoods in Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, York, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and Plymouth, and found that at best, only 2% of buildings in any...
New research reveals significant recent shifts in tree diversity among the tropical forests of the Andes and Amazon, driven by global change. The study was led by Dr Belen Fadrique from the University of Liverpool, who conducted the research when she was a Marie Curie Fellow at the University of Leeds. It uses 40 years...
The LEAF Centre has gathered on campus at the University of Leeds for our annual meeting to share ideas, updates from research, and to restrengthen connections between our often far-flung teams. LEAF Day is our annual opportunity to prioritise bringing people together and learning from the wealth of experience within our group. During the day,...
Air-polluting microplastics have been found in rural areas in greater quantities than in cities, researchers say. The study, led by the University of Leeds, detected up to 500 microscopic particles of plastic per square metre per day in an area of woodland during the three-month study – almost twice as much as in a sample...
Tropical forests can recover twice as quickly after deforestation if they have adequate soil nitrogen, according to new research published today. A team of scientists led by the University of Leeds established the world’s largest and longest experiment to see how nutrients affect forest regrowth in areas cleared for activities such as logging and agriculture....
A new study from the University of Leeds highlights consistently low levels of access to trees and greenspaces across English cities. Researchers analysed the 3-30-300 rule, a three part framework for measuring tree and greenspace access, in urban neighbourhoods of Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, York, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent and Plymouth, and found that at most, only 2% of buildings in any city region met all three components of the rule. This research, published in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening,...
A University of Leeds and Woodland Trust collaboration has revealed major natural flood management benefits at catchment scale from upland woodland creation. Creating new woodland in upland areas can significantly reduce the severity of downstream flooding, according to new research led by the University of Leeds in partnership with the Woodland Trust. The study, published...
University of Leeds researchers hosted Katie White, Minister for Climate, at Park Gill Nature Reserve in the Yorkshire Dales last month, where they are investigating the potential for, and impacts of, temperate rainforest restoration. Katie White has been the MP for Leeds North West since July 2024, and was appointed Minister for Climate in the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero in September 2025. The Minister’s visit to the Park Gill Nature Reserve...