Get Sust! Issue 33

Remediation: greening the brownfields

Trees and plants have been shown to demonstrate huge potential in the reclamation and remediation of brownfield land, but successful reclamation will only happen with careful planning and a well-thought-out design.

The Forestry Commission’s information note ‘Greenspace Establishment on Brownfield Land: the Site Selection and Investigation Process’ is aimed at site owners, foresters, planners, managers and consultants, and provides a step-by-step guide to site selection and evaluation.

Learn more:

	•	‘Greenspace Establishment on Brownfield Land: the Site Selection and Investigation Process’ by Kieron Doick and Tony Hutchings, Forestry Commission Information Note 091. Order copies of FCIN091 from www.forestry.gov.uk/publications.
	•	Forest Research (the Forestry Commission’s research division) can also provide guidance to site developers either through publications, or through use of its “ROOTS - software for greening brownfield land” - which gives specifications for all aspects of site restoration, including species selection. See www.roots-software.co.uk.