Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Accepted
Paragraph: 141
Develop a comprehensive strategy for productive woodlands prioritising species diversity and resilience for long-term survival.
Conclusion
Planting more conifer trees is needed if domestic softwood production levels are to be maintained or increased. However, a policy to grow productive woodlands to achieve future timber supply and other benefits for nature and climate, are dependent on forests surviving in the medium to long term. Such policies should therefore be developed within an overall strategy which prioritises species diversity and resilience.
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the need for policies prioritising species diversity and resilience, stating it encourages mixed woodlands and implements measures like the Seed Sourcing Grant, Tree Production Innovation Fund, and Tree Health Resilience Strategy to ensure trees are resilient to climate change.
Paragraph Reference:
141
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government agrees that the forestry and timber sectors will be crucial nature-based solutions as we work towards Net Zero and reverse the decline in biodiversity. The Government’s England Trees Action Plan (ETAP) sets out our vision for a thriving forest economy which contributes to the local economy of rural communities whilst also meeting our national objectives on climate and nature. We have legislated for a statutory tree and woodland target to increase tree canopy and woodland cover of England to at least 16.5% by 2050, equating to 250,000 hectares of trees. The Government acknowledges the Committee’s call to plant more conifer and we recognise that some stakeholders are calling for the same. Our new statutory woodland cover target will stimulate increased tree planting of both hard and softwoods and we are improving regulatory processes to make tree planting easier while retaining strong environmental and biosecurity safeguards. Commercial conifer planting is an important part of our overall planting, and we need all types of planting to meet our woodland cover target. We want to encourage mixed woodlands that serve a variety of environmental, productive and amenity purposes. We are making sure our trees are resilient to climate change through the Seed Sourcing Grant and Tree Production Innovation Fund and actions under the Tree Health Resilience Strategy.