Source · National Audit Office

Planting Trees in England

Published: 4 Mar 2022 Recommendations: 7 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 7 Department: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

This report evaluates whether Defra’s management of new tree-planting schemes is likely to achieve value for money.

Dept: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Topics: Climate change and net zeroEnergy and environmentEnvironmental sustainability nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

7 items

5 accepted 2 partially accepted 4 implemented 3 in progress

Rec	Recommendation	Addressee	Acceptance	Implementation
1	Defra and the Forestry Commission should: a) set clear milestones for nursery and forestry workforce capacity from 2025 onwards based on the long-term trajectory for tree-planting set by the net zero strategy, and use these milestones to provide a target for these aspects to be achieved between now and 2025; Ref Page 14, paragraph 25, point a · Implemented Q1 2026-27	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Partially accepted	In progress ✓ NAO
2	b) urgently establish what is required for the transition of tree-planting into ELM and develop its plans to achieve a smooth transition and ensure lessons learned in the early years can be carried forward; Ref Page 14, paragraph 25, point b · Implemented Q4 2025-26	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Accepted	In progress ✓ NAO
3	c) ensure its monitoring and evaluation framework includes robust mechanisms for measuring progress against targets for wider benefits such as biodiversity, flood management and air quality; Ref Page 14, paragraph 25, point c · Implemented Q3 2024-25	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
4	d) establish plans for how to address a range of scenarios, including where tree-planting rates are falling short of targets, particularly how it will prioritise between the number of trees planted and the wider benefits that new trees should achieve; Ref Page 14, paragraph 25, point d · Implemented Q4 2022-23	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
5	e) incorporate a measure of the proportion of woodlands that are well managed into its target for increasing woodland cover by 2050; and Ref Page 15, paragraph 25, point e · Implemented Q1 2026-27	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Partially accepted	In progress ✓ NAO
6	f) work with the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury to identify and act on opportunities across government to support the achievement of government’s tree-planting targets. Ref Page 15, paragraph 25, point f · Implemented Q3 2025-26	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
7	Our review of the Programme has identified factors that are likely to be replicated across government as it increases activity aimed at achieving its net zero target, particularly the perceived urgency with which action is required. We therefore recommend that the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, as department with overall responsibility for achieving net zero, should: g) review the lessons drawn from delivering the Programme at speed and consider how these can be shared, where appropriate, across government’s net zero projects and programmes, including establishing that targets are realistic and achievable. Ref Page 15, paragraph 26, point g · Implemented Q1 2022-23	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO