Recommendation 25

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted in Part

We are committed to increasing both productive conifer and productive broadleaf planting. We are working with stakeholders to better understand how Government and Industry can increase and promote productive planting. UK hardwood availability will be dependent on increasing rates of woodland management in predominantly broadleaf/amenity forests. We are supporting more woods into management through our Woods into Management Innovation Funds where we have awarded £7.6 million to date. We are also considering the potential for tree breeding programmes to encourage untapped species such as beech and sweet chestnut into timber supply chains as an innovative additional resource, as well as research into emerging species. 13) We recommend that the project board with oversight of the current quinquennial review of the UK Forestry Standard ensure that the revised Standard not only contributes to beneficial outcomes for biodiversity and carbon storage but also supports productive forestry to the fullest extent compatible with climate and nature goals. This overall objective must be supported by the policy instruments available to the Forestry Commission in England and to Defra Ministers. The Commission and the UK Government should seek to work constructively with their counterparts in the devolved administrations and partner forestry agencies to ensure the overall growth of the forest estate managed to the UK Forestry Standard.