Independent Panel on Forestry Progress Report (1)

8/3/2019 Independent Panel on Forestry Progress Report (1)

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Independent Panelon Forestryprogress report


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rogress eport 20112

Further information about the Independent anel on Forestry is available viahttp://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel

Quotes used in the main body of the progress report and in the annex have been taken from

responses to the call for views.

Crown copyright 2011


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Contents

Chairmans Foreword

Introduction

What you have said to usWoods and Forests good for people, nature and the economy

Section 1

Forests and forestry in ngland: facts and gures

ood for people

ood for nature

ood for the green economy

Section 2

Woodland creation and management

he public forest estate

he Forestry Commission: a forestry focus within overnment

Woodlands in private, charitable and other formsof public ownership

Next steps: continuing the journey

Annexes

Annex 1 erms of reference and membership

Annex 2 Call for views


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ChairmansForewordhe intimate connection between people and our natural

environment has been a strong thread running through

my own experience and work as a Bishop. ne of my reasons

for taking on the role of Chair of the Independent anel on

Forestry was an increasing awareness of the connections

between people and place, between livelihoods and landscapes,rich or devoid of plants and animals. I have been struck by the

heartfelt connections between the forests and woods of ngland

and the people who live, work and relax in them. More than

42,000 people responded to the anels call for views.

hey overwhelmingly expressed their passion for the public

forest estate, and woods more generally, as places of recreation,

a way to connect with nature and as a vital source of resources,

not least of wood.

he anel was born out of a erce public debate about the future of

the one fth of nglands woods which are managed by the ForestryCommission. his progress report sets out initial thoughts on this

crucial issue. But our investigations have also shown us how important

it is that we look at the future for all woods and forests in ngland and

think how we can create maximum impact on a triple bottom line

for the environment, people and the economy.


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ne comment that has stuck with the anel was when we looked out

over the Forest of Dean with its different types and ages of trees, and

were told that this was in fact a political landscape. We heard that

the pattern of land use and trees over the centuries had been shaped

by the national politics of the day, such as the planting of great oaks

to provide timber for the oyal Navy. For thousands of years it hasbeen a landscape shaped by people, and even left to nature, forests

are never static; they form dynamic landscapes.

Changes are in the wind as both Wales and cotland look afresh at

how the Forestry Commission can be best organised to match the

ambitions of their countries post-devolution. hese changes may

have implications for the Forestry Commission in ngland and

provide further impetus for the anels work.

he anel wants to see a more wooded landscape in ngland and

believes that both the benets and the costs of forests have beenunderestimated. A distinction has sometimes incorrectly been drawn

between on the one hand, woodland activity and jobs to produce

sustainable timber and on the other hand, work to enhance nature

or improve conditions for recreational access. When managed well

such activity is often complementary. We need to develop and

appreciate a new culture of woodland skills.

Many of the people who responded so articulately to our call for

views spoke about the need to unhitch the management of the

forests from electoral timescales, which dont match those of the

lifespan of trees. In this progress report we take the rst steps inframing some of the challenges for our nal report next spring,

which we hope will have a lifetime of decades.


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Introduction

he overnments consultation on thepublic forest estate caused a hugereaction and catapulted forests and woodsinto the headlines. his and the amazingresponse to the anels call for views,underlines the fact that forests and woodshold an enduring and complex place inpeoples lives.

ome may be tempted to put forestryback in its box. However, we believe thatout of this period of dispute must growa new appreciation of woods and forests.his needs to encompass trees in all sortsof settings and forms of ownership.It needs to include and value thebusinesses that grow trees and usewood, as well as the other public benetsof woodland.

his report sets out the progress the anelhas made over six meetings and four visitsto the Forest of Dean, Northumberland,

Kent and Nottinghamshire. ur terms ofreference and list of members can be foundat the end of this report in Annex 1, and moreinformation on our work is available athttp://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/.

In this report we share our rst thoughts.We are already clear that we need to godeeper into the issues and look morebroadly than the recent debate has done.We believe there are some major challenges

for the future of woods, forests and forestryin ngland which need to be understoodand seized upon.

What you have said to us

he vigorous response to the curtailedovernment consultation on the publicforest estate, and more than 42,000heartfelt and articulate responses to ourcall for views, are just the surface expressionof the great passion which people have fortrees and woods. We have been upliftedand challenged through our discussionswith people we have met on our visits.

A number of themes clearly emergedfrom responses to the call for views.vident across all of them is the importantrole woodland plays in so many peopleslives, particularly as a place for personalenjoyment and appreciation of the naturalworld. he number of responses has beenboth a delight and a challenge. As well asthe many responses from individuals we hadseveral hundred detailed responses fromrepresentative bodies, conservation bodies,individuals, specialists and businesses.

he responses have already had a strongimpact on this progress report and willcontinue to provide a source of ideas andevidence for the anel as our work continues.An analysis of the responses is set out in

Annex 2. We will also continue to drawon the results of other reviews of forestryin ngland that have taken place overrecent years.

Many of the responses concentrate on the

public forest estate and the immediate issuesaround the overnment consultation.his is understandable. As a anel we havebeen struck by the need to address theseissues, but also to look deeper and wider andacross a longer timescale. We need to lookmore deeply at whether the current set upfor the Forestry Commission is the right one,

The trees were my chosen place of escape and gave me

a feeling of peace and tranquillity. The trees gave me a

sense of permanence because of their age and what they

had therefore seen and experienced themselves.


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more widely at all the forests and woods ofngland, and to think in terms of timescale

which extends to the end of the century notjust the end of the year.

Woods and Forests good forpeople, nature and the economy

Woods and forests are places where peoplefeel connected with history, with natureand with production of one of the basicand important materials of our everyday life

wood. A challenge for us as a anel is totranslate these issues into recommendationsfor policy and action on forests and forestrythat will take place at a national level.We want to make full use of our broadterms of reference and look right acrossovernment activity, very much including,but not only at, the public forest estate.

here are two broad themes which runthrough all of our thinking in this progress

report. ne is timescales. We need to reectthe life-spans and timescales of trees in theway we set and implement policy in relationto woods and forests. Changes in forestrypolicy which reect electoral timescales,rather than those of the life-span of trees,do not provide the strategic underpinningfor the public forest and wider sector toreally ourish. We want to look for longterm and sustainable ways to do the bestfor our woods and forests, so that we canall benet from them to the greatestpossible extent. his might not mean quick

wins but we hope it can create a clear path,with an enduring map for a journey which

should continue steadily across decades.

he second theme that we have beenstruck by is the diversity of benets fromforests and woods and the strength andcomplexity of the interactions betweenthem. his relates strongly to the ideaof a triple bottom line thatdemonstrates benets that are goodfor people, for nature and for theeconomy2. Forestry, as an activity, has the

potential to be a great example of a win-win-win for people, the environment andthe economy.

his triple bottom line is not without sometensions. However, these are small comparedto benets of woods and forests which webelieve are greatly undervalued. here isrecent work, such as the National cosystemAssessment (NA see Box 1) which seeksto systematically understand the range of

benets we receive from nature and thecurrent state of our natural environment.he NA is a groundbreaking piece of work.While the authors themselves acknowledgesome gaps and uncertainties within theanalysis, it has the potential to make asignicant contribution to ensuring that thewider benets of nature are recognised andproperly appreciated.

he NA is a powerful framework within

which to understand the relative costs andbenets derived from forests and forestry.It shows clearly where we have systematically

1. hese quotes and those elsewhere in the text have been taken from responses to the call for views.

2. he term riple Bottom Line was rst coined by John lkington in his 1994 book Cannibals with Forks:

the riple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business. It has since been adopted extensively into corporate social

responsibility reporting frameworks ; for examples of best practice see the lobal eporting Initiative

ustainability eporting uidelines at http://www.globalreporting.org/Home.

The countryside is not a museum, it is a working

environment where woodland plays a major part

and should be recognised as such.1


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undervalued and therefore neglected theways in which we depend on the natural

environment. his provides us with strongpointers to where we should direct ourattention. But the next step is to say whatshould be done in practice and in termsof policy.

here are two facts which give us causefor concern, but also optimism that wethink major steps forward are achievable.he rst is that only 52% of woods areactively managed3; that is, tended and

cared for to deliver specic benets, bethat for nature, for leisure, for timber orfor all three. he second is that rates ofwoodland creation in ngland have fallenin recent years.

here is huge scope to address theseworrying trends. rees and woods inspireand interest people for all sorts of reasons.his creates a bedrock of goodwill andinspires optimism in us for the future of

nglands woods and the profession andbusiness of forestry.

ising timber prices, the move to lowcarbon fuels and the passion in small andlarge rms for this sector provide soundbusiness reasons for hope about the greeneconomy. ur woodland habitats needconcerted action to safeguard and enhancethe multitude of benets they provide.eople have the power to change the

course of national debates and to takeaction to enhance their local environment.If these forces are channelled in the rightway, the returns could be immense.

he connection between the environment,people and the economy are issues thatresonate around the world in dealing withglobal challenges, such as climate change

and deforestation. If we are to show globalleadership, and persuade other countries

to protect the environment, we need totake action to protect and enhance ourbiodiversity and ecosystems in ngland,in our woodlands as much as any otherhabitat.

he rst section of this report expands eachof the three parts of the triple bottom linefor woods, forests and forestry, drawing onthe wealth of material within the responsesto our call for views.

In the second section, we then set out ourrst thoughts on how our aspirations foreach of these areas link more specicallyto the public forest estate, the wider workof the Forestry Commission, and to thepotential to grow a greener economy.

Whilst the work and organisation of theForestry Commission are covered later inthe report, we want to make an importantpoint upfront. he net public expenditure

on the public forest estate, some 20 millionthis year, appears very modest and deliversbenets far in excess of this. his level offunding is small in government terms and,to us, appears to represent very good valuefor money. For comparison, 250millionwas recently allocated by the Departmentfor Communities and Local overnmentto support weekly refuse collections4.

3. Forestry Commission ngland Impact and Input Indicators 2011-15published by the Forestry Commission in 2011

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/FC_NLAND_IX_INDICA_3011_FINAL.pdf/$FIL/FC_NLAND_

IX_INDICA_3011_FINAL.pdf

4. his fund will be available over the remainder of the current spending review period; details of the announcement

are at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1998987
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/FC_eNgLAND_topsIX_INDICAtors_30sep11_FINAL.pdf/$FILe/FC_eNgLAND_topsIX_INDICAtors_30sep11_FINAL.pdfhttp://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/FC_eNgLAND_topsIX_INDICAtors_30sep11_FINAL.pdf/$FILe/FC_eNgLAND_topsIX_INDICAtors_30sep11_FINAL.pdfhttp://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/FC_eNgLAND_topsIX_INDICAtors_30sep11_FINAL.pdf/$FILe/FC_eNgLAND_topsIX_INDICAtors_30sep11_FINAL.pdf


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Box 1. The UK National Ecosystem Assessment5

he UK National cosystem Assessment analyses the UK natural environment in termsof the benets it provides to society and the nations continuing prosperity.It concluded that woodland is in relatively good shape compared to many otherhabitats but is changing as a result of changes in management, climate and new/emerging pests and diseases. f any habitat woodlands possibly deliver the greatestnumber of ecosystem services including carbon storage, recreation, timber and acontribution to water regulation.

he benets are grouped into four categories of ecosystem service.

rovisioning services these include the value of food, timber, and supporting a cleanwater supply.

Domestic production of timber has increased, but is still just one quarter of thesize of imports;

nglish-grown timber and woodland management is associated with businesseswhich contribute 2.1 billion to D and employ 64,000 people;

Woodland is a critical part of most lowland game shoots (40% of the 1.9 millionshooting days in the UK) particularly in ngland;

More use of rewood and woodfuel, and other products like fungi.

Cultural services the importance of woods for what they mean to people.

here are approximately 250-300 million day visits to woodland per year (B);

he social and environmental benets of woodland are in the range of 1-2 billionper annum (2010 prices) (B);

Woods include about 5,000 scheduled ancient monuments (B);

hey dene many of our most treasured landscapes such as the Chilterns.

55% of people in ngland can access a wood of at least 20 ha within 4 km of home;

In a survey of leisure visits in ngland 5% of all visits included a trip to a woodlandor forest.

egulating ervices factors that help keep nature in balance.

he total carbon stock in UK forests (including soils) is around 800 megatonnes,

with a further 80 Mt carbon in timber and wood products;

rees and woodlands can reduce local temperatures by 34C providing benecialshade in urban areas and for rivers.

Woodlands in the right places can delay and reduce ood events

rees and other tall vegetation play a valuable role damping down noise pollution.

upporting services the broader contribution to UK biodiversity.

Woods are amongst our richest terrestrial wildlife habitats.

hey include 10 woodland types listed under the U Habitats and pecies Directiveand 6 priority habitats under the UK Biodiversity Action lan.

5. he UK National cosystem Assessmentpublished by UN-WCMC in 2011

http://uknea.unep-wcmc.org/esources/tabid/82/Default.aspx


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rogress eport 201110


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Section 1



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Forests and orestry in England:acts and fgures

ngland contains about 1,294,0006 haof woods and forests an area abouttwice the size of Devon as well as over89 million7 non-woodland trees thatcontribute to the woodiness of our urbanand rural landscapes. he density and typeof woodland vary considerably across thecountry (Figure 1); the high density ofwoodland in south-east ngland includeslarge numbers of small broadleaved woods,

whereas the big blocks in Northumberlandand in Norfolk are predominantly coniferousplantations. Nevertheless, very few places

are without at least a scatter of small woodsor trees.

In ngland, 66% of woods are composedof broadleaved trees such as oak, ash, birch,and beech, while 34% is made up of coniferssuch as pines, spruce, larches and rs8.en per cent of the land area of ngland iswooded9, well below uropean countrieswhere the average is 37%. Much of the areaof woodland has been planted or naturallyestablished on open ground in the lastcentury, but just under a third10, covering

2.6% of the country, is ancient woodland;this has been identied as the highestpriority for nature conservation.

Box 2. Defnition o terms

Forestry is dened as the practice of all aspects of tree management, including forestand woodland management, arboriculture, urban forestry, environmental forestry andresearch, education and training in these elds (Institute of Chartered Foresters).

Woodland is a minimum area of 0.5 hectares under stands of trees with, or with thepotential to achieve, tree crown cover of more than 20% of the ground. (National Forest

Inventory).Wood/Forest are used interchangeably for dened blocks of woodland. Wood is usedmore often for small areas and forest for larger ones. Historically, the term Forest wasused to describe land legally set aside as hunting grounds for nobility where gamewas free to roam, and which might include wooded areas but could be mainly heath,grassland or wetland.

Ancient woodland refers to a site that is believed to have been continuously woodedsince 1600AD11.

Open habitats are areas of largely unwooded semi-natural vegetation, for exampleheathland, moorland, acid grassland and wetland.

Woodland management activities can include the felling of trees followed byre-planting, the control of deer or cutting to maintain open space. hese activities areundertaken in order to achieve one, or a number of, woodland management objectives.hese can include timber production, benetting wildlife, provision of access, game andsport management and conservation.

6. National Forest Inventory Woodland Area tatistics:ngland published by the Forestry Commission in 2011 http://www.forestry.gov.uk/

pdf/NFI_ngland_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdf/$FIL/NFI_ngland_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdf

7. National Inventory of Woodland and rees for nglandpublished by the Forestry Commission in 2001

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/forestry.nsf/byunique/hcou-54pg9u

8. efer to footnote 7

9. Forestry Facts and Figurespublished by the Forestry Commission in 2011 http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-7aqf6j

10. oldberg, .A., eterken, .F. & Kirby, K.J (in press). rigin and evolution of the ancient woodland inventory. British Wildlife.

11. eterken, .F. 1977 Habitat conservation priorities in British and uropean woodlands.

Biological Conservation. 11: 223-236.
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdf/$FILE/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdfhttp://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdf/$FILE/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdfhttp://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdf/$FILE/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdfhttp://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdf/$FILE/NFI_England_woodland_area_stats_2010_FINAL.pdf


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Figure 1: Distribution of woodland in ngland, showing also the public forest estate

Legend

Public Forest Estate

National Forest Inventory

Area under 2ha

Area over 2ha under 10ha

Area over 10ha under 100ha

Area over 100ha under 250haArea over 250ha


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ur woods are owned and managed by awide variety of people and organisations

Figure 2) to meet an equally wide range ofobjectives. hese can include farmers with asmall woodland that they value for shooting,estates integrating both farming and forestryenterprises, charities managing broadleavedwoods primarily for conservation as wellas companies harvesting many tonnes ofconifers each year to meet a part of ourdemand for wood and wood-products.he public forest estate is the largest bodyof woodland under a single owner but the

biggest single category are the personalowners including, for example, individualsand family trusts.

Between 1976 and 1990 the rate ofwoodland creation in ngland was around

2000 ha annually; it increased to 4-6,000ha between 1990 and 2004 but has beendeclining fairly steadily since. he currentrate of woodland creation in nglandis about 2,500 hectares a year, mostlybroadleaved13. It is virtually all on landoutside the public forest estate, andwithout public funding would be likelyto drop further.

For existing woodlands, the Forestry

Commission reports that only abouthalf appears to be actively managed14.Management of woods involves activitiessuch as planting of trees or thinning to givemore light for plants and to grow betterquality timber.

Figure 2. ercentage ownership of forests by different types of owner12.

12. National Inventory of Woodland and rees 2001. ngland. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/forestry.nsf/byunique/hcou-54pg9u

13. ee footnote 9

14. ee footnote 3

Forests and trees are part of our heritage andare enjoyed by so many people, as a low-cost

healthy and sometimes educational amenity.

A service to society in fact.

Charitable organisations

(e.g. National Trust, local charities)

Woodprocessing business

Other public (e.g. Crown Estate,

Ministry of Defence)

Local Authority

Public forest estate

Community ownership/common land

Unknown

Other business (e.g. companies,

pension funds)

Personal (e.g. individuals, family trusts)


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Good for people

he message that emerged most stronglyfrom the call for views was how importantaccess to woods and forests, and particularlythe public forest estate, is for peopleswell-being and enjoyment of the natural world.Many people wanted to make sure their woodsand forests were protected forever.

For some people, woods and forests areat the centre of their lives. For example,we heard from several communities(including free miners, commoners, forestrycontractors and heritage groups), some ofwhom have legal rights to use the resourcesof the public forest estate. All of theirlivelihoods depend on access to the publicforest estate.

he National cosystem Assessment showsthe value to the nation from recreationalvisits to forests and woodland to be 484million per year in the UK15. In 2011 aForestry Commission survey found that

over two thirds of people asked hadvisited a wood. Not everyone has thesame opportunity to access woodlands,for example the proportion of accessiblewoodland varies from 65% in the North astto 29% in the outh West of ngland16.

We know that these visits encompass a hugevariety of activities for people of all ages.ften these activities can co-exist easily butsometimes this takes careful management.

ecreation includes physical activity suchas walking, cycling and horse riding.his has health benets, but also improves

peoples mental health and can be away of connecting with nature and with

our heritage.

We recognise the role of education inimproving the value and enjoyment people,and particularly children, get from forests,through formal programmes and throughvisitor centres. hese activities are part ofwider efforts to encourage a woodlandculture, and an understanding of how thenatural, social and economic aspects ofwoods connect.

he Forestry Commission has dedicatedthe majority of its freehold land as AccessLand under the Countryside and ightsof Way Act 2000, giving walkers statutoryrights. ther users (including cyclists andequestrians) enjoy permissive access. Manyrespondents to our call for views felt that theForestry Commission also put a lot of effortand investment into making it easier forthem to visit their forests by providing well-

maintained paths, car parks, cafes and otherfacilities. his investment is reected in visits;there were 317 million visits to woodlands inthe year up to February 201017.

he public forest estate often sets a goldstandard in recreational access. It alsoaccounts for 44% of accessible woodlandsin ngland with only 18% of the woods.

While there are private woodlands andforest estates that welcome and are open to

people to visit, there are also many ownerswho view their woods as private property.We have heard different views about the

15. ee footnote 5

16. space for eople:targeting action for woodland access published by the Woodland rust in 2010

http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/about-us/publications/key-publications/space-for-people/Documents/space-for-people-summary.pdf

17. Monitor of ngagement with the Natural nvironment(MN) 2009-10 published by Natural ngland, Department for nvironment,

Food and ural Af fairs and the Forestry Commission in 2010 http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/enjoying/research/monitor/

Affairs and Forestry Commission http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/enjoying/research/monitor/

A quiet place to be; to walk with family andfriends; to ride my bike safely; to observe nature;

for nature to be safe and maintained; to sit and

rest; to just look and listen.


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compatibility between different setsof activities, such as shooting and

recreation, and timber production andmotorbike access.

We have noted that while most peoplefeel very strong emotional connections towoodlands, data from two recent surveys18revealed that signicantly more peopleengage with woodlands and forests throughaccess and recreation than through activemanagement or volunteering.his recognises the higher level of

responsibility and time commitmentrequired for these activities. We havecommissioned research on communityengagement and we will be looking at howto make it available to more people. We willtherefore be considering how to supportcommunities and individuals to maintaintheir level of engagement even wheregreater responsibility is required.

ur work is exploring how recreational

benets can be increased in the 80% ofwoodland not in the public forest estate,and we are exploring ways to achieve thisthrough incentives. It is also important toaddress regional variation in the distributionof accessible forests.

We believe that as many people as possible,wherever they live, should be able to enjoyaccess to woods nearby. We supportthe Natural nvironment White apers

recommendations

19

on reconnecting peopleand nature and feel that woodlands havean important role to play in delivering thoserecommendations. In keeping with ourbroad vision of providing a wider range ofbenets to more people, we will explorehow the various demands for access and useof forests can be accommodated in bothpublic and privately owned woodlands.

Good for nature

rees and woods are integral to the qualityof our natural environment: to water, soil,air, our biodiversity and landscapes. hismessage was expressed in a variety ofways in the responses to the call for views;through the recognition of woodlands asa place of refuge for plants and animals;in the need to restore and protect ancientwoodland; in the value of creating corridorsfor wildlife; or through the signicance ofveteran trees, and of trees in urban settings.

Underpinning all of this was the sense thatthe quality and variety of nature within ourwoods and forests is key to the value peopleplace on them.

nglands woodland resource plantationforestry, native woods, scrub, wood pastureand veteran trees has a vital role to playin the provision of environmental, socialand economic goods. Unfortunatelythis is a fragmented resource of variable

environmental quality, with much of thenative woodland component being in poorecological condition and unmanaged.Many native woods and key forestryplantations are in need of appropriatemanagement to best deliver for nature.

he current patterns and nature of ourwoodlands inevitably reect the legacies ofpast policy priorities. Around 1900 woodlandcomprised less than 5% of ngland.

Nevertheless distinctive plant and animalassemblages had survived, particularly inour ancient woods managed as coppice andin veteran trees in wood pastures. Concernover loss and damage to ancient woodlandpost-World War II led to the developmentof policies for the protection of designatedsites, and later for the protection,management and expansion of woodland

18. ublic pinion of Forestrypublished by the Forestry Commission in 2011 http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-5ZYL9W

19 he natural choice: securing the value of naturepublished by the Department of nvironment Food and ural Affairs in 2011http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/natural/whitepaper/


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habitats. he condition of many protectedsites has improved and the rate of loss of

ancient woodland appears to have declined.he planting of new woodland in the 20thcentury in response to concerns abouttimber shortages similarly led to criticismof the consequent large-scale coniferafforestation of lowland heaths, uplandmoors and bogs. olicies and procedureshave therefore been introduced to setminimum environmental standards forfuture new planting and a framework

developed to guide tree clearance forthe restoration of open habitats. Newbroadleaved woodland is now being createdwhile many of the large conifer forests arebeing restructured to give more mixedwoodland. ome open habitats such aslowland heaths, upland moors and bogshave been restored from conifer plantations,but there is the potential to do more.

However many woodland species including

some woodland birds and woodlandground ora still show recent declines20.his is a cause for concern: the state of ourwoodland biodiversity is a visible barometerof the health of the underlying naturalsystems that deliver a much wider range ofenvironmental, social and economic goodsand services.

As well as coping with specic andimmediate pressures such as from deer,

grey squirrels, pests and diseases (suchas hytophthoraand Acute ak decline)nglands woods and forests need to bein good enough shape, and sufcientlyresilient, to deal with the unknowns thatlie ahead, not least to the pressures ofchanging climate, continuing air pollutionimpacts, emerging diseases and otherthreats.

he ead eport set out the challenges

facing woods and forests across the UK,where a changing climate is likely to leadto hotter, drier summers and warmerwetter winters, with consequences for thedistribution of species, and risks like diseaseand forest res21. It also summarised thechallenge that climate change poses tonglands woodland and non woodlandwildlife which will need help to adapt tothe changing environment, for example bygetting habitats into good ecological health

for a range of important species, in patchesof appropriate size and connectivity.

he recommendations of the Lawtoneport22, reected in the Naturalnvironment White aper23, alsoacknowledge this and look to the creation ofa coherent and resilient ecological networkin order to address the challenges of

20. tudies include: Whats happening to our woodland birds (2004) B, British rust for rnithology, Department for nvironment,Food and ural Af fairs, Forestry Commission, nglish Nature http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6MWL96; UK Buttery

Monitoring cheme Buttery Conservation http://www.ukbms.org/; and Kirby, K.J., mart, .M., Black, H.I.J., Bunce, ..H.,

Corney,.M. and mithers, .J. (2005). Long term ecological change in British woodland (1971-2001). eterborough:

nglish Nature (esearch eport 653).

21. ead, D.J., Freer-mith, p.H., Morison, J.I.L., Hanley, N., West, C.C. & nowdon, p.. (eds) (2009) Combating climate change

a role for UK forests. he tationery fce, dinburgh

Climate change will have signifcant impact on the

natural environment, with woodlands no exception, butby retaining and planting new woodlands and improving

the links between green spaces, a certain amount o

resilience can be created.


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climate change. However, the Lawton reportemphasised that an improved network

was needed for biodiversity conservation,irrespective of climate change, because ofthe fragmented nature of our wildlife sites.he Lawton report called for a step changein our approach to the protection andappropriate management of existing highlyvalued habitats such as ancient woodland,to restoration of areas that have beendamaged in the past, for example throughinappropriate tree planting, and the creationof new areas.

he overnment response24 to theLawton report was clear: [It] concludedunequivocally that nglands collection ofwildlife areas is fragmented and does notrepresent a coherent and resilient ecologicalnetwork capable of responding to thechallenges of climate change and otherpressures. he review called for a step-change in nature conservation [...]a new, restorative approach which rebuilds

nature and creates a more resilient naturalenvironment for the benet of wildlifeand ourselves. he review made 24recommendations, but summarised whatneeded to be done in just four words: more,bigger, better and joined. he Naturalnvironment White aper seeks to takethis forward.

While our work is focused on woods andforests we believe these must be considered

within a coherent strategy for the countrysnatural environment and as one elementof a resilient ecological network across thecountry. Fens, meadows, moors, and heathsalso provide valuable ecosystem servicesthat enhance and complement thoseprovided by woodland.

We will look at where the priorities betweenthe different forest and woodland activitiesthat would be good for nature should lie,

and how and where the biggest differencecan be made. We will consider the scopeto achieve these outcomes both on thepublic forest estate and in woods in privateand other forms of public ownership,bearing in mind the value of enhancing andreconnecting habitats at a landscape scale.We will also draw on economics research tounderstand the potential impacts on otheroutcomes for the forestry sector.

Good for the green economy

Forests that support businesses andindustries play an important role in a greeneconomy by providing employment andopportunities for low-carbon investment.Wood is also a critical resource in thegreen economy, both in its own right and

22. Making pace for Nature: A review of nglands Wildlife ites and cological Networkchaired by rofessor ir John Lawton and

published in 2010 http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/biodiversity/documents/201009space-for-nature.pdf

23. ee footnote 19

24. overnment esponse to the Making pace for Nature eviewpublished by the Department for nvironment, Food and ural Affairs in 2011

http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/06/07/government-response-making-space-for-nature-review/

Forests and woodlands are important natural habitats for a

wide variety of native species. This includes not only numerous

species of woodland birds, but also amphibians, bats, insects,

squirrels, roe deer and many wildower species, such as

bluebells, wood anemones, wood sorrel, primroses and manymore besides. However, forests and woodlands need to be

managed wisely to promote and enhance the rich variety of

biodiversity that they can sustain.


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as a source and creator of lasting jobs.We recognise that the long-term nancial

viability of public, private and charitableforestry enterprises is crucial if the potentialbenets from woodland creation andmanagement are to be realised.

he forestry, wood processing and paperindustries directly contribute 4.2 billionof gross value added annually 0.38% ofnglands ross Value Added (VA)25. Inthe last 15 years, more than 1.6 billion hasbeen invested in the UK industry and, whilst

the UK remains one of the worlds largestnet importers of wood and wood basedproducts (80%), it is estimated that thevalue of this investment has displaced morethan 1 billion in imports annually26.

Forest creation and management supportslivelihoods by providing employment bothdirectly and in downstream industriesand activities such as sawmills, timbermerchants, the wood panel industry and

the woodfuel industry. It is estimatedthat forestry in ngland supports around110,000 green jobs27. Much of the directemployment is in rural areas where otheremployment opportunities may be scarce;and the industry is dominated by smallbusinesses, with 94% employing fewerthan 10 workers28.

Forests in ngland have a wide range ofowners including communities, charities,

farmers and commercial forestry companiesas well as the public sector. here is verylittle private ownership of more than 1000hectares. Many woods are relatively small;about 40% of the woods in ngland are

under 50 hectares and over 25% below20 ha (not counting those less than 2 ha).

More recent work in the latest NationalForestry Inventory shows that there maybe more than 100,000 woods which aresmaller than 2 hectares29. cale is important,not only in terms of nancial viability forcommercial timber production, but alsobecause the impact of access provisionmay be greater for smaller woods.

he diverse nature of forest ownership,together with the multipurpose use of

forests, results in many different businessmodels. In the charitable sector, subscriptionand volunteering time may supplementgrant income; in the private sector and thepublic forest estate, whilst there may besome income from recreational activitiessuch as shooting and access opportunities,currently the contribution of timber incomeis crucial to nancial viability. ven wheretimber is produced for the market, we haveheard that many woodland owners and

managers rarely make a prot.

he public forest estate plays an importantrole in the timber market in ngland it is estimated to account for around 60%of nglish softwood sales in ngland in201030 and therefore has a big impact ontimber supply to businesses and contractorsthat are dependent on home-grown timber.his provides relative certainty to itscustomers, allowing them to plan and

invest with condence. We would like tounderstand this relationship better, andto be sure that it delivers maximumbenets overall.

25. Figures for 2008 taken from the Annual Business Inquiry 2009and fce for National tatistics egional VA December 2009

published by the fce of National tatistics

26. Managing our forests responsiblypublished by Confor in 2011

http://www.confor.org.uk/Upload/Documents/22_Confortopicpaper1Managingourforestsresponsibly.pdf

27. ee footnote 25

28. rees and timber factsheet 2010-2011 published by LANA in 2011

http://www.lantra.co.uk/Downloads/esearch/kills-assessment/rees-and-timber-v2-(2010-2011).aspx

29. ee footnotes 6 and 7

30. Forestry Commission analysis. For data source see footnote 9
http://www.lantra.co.uk/Downloads/research/skills-assessment/trees-and-timber-v2-(2010-2011).aspxhttp://www.lantra.co.uk/Downloads/research/skills-assessment/trees-and-timber-v2-(2010-2011).aspx


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here is an exciting opportunity for thewoodfuel market to contribute to the

future viability of the industry and providean incentive for the private sector to bringsome of the undermanaged woodland intoactive management. Demand for woodfuelhas increased, and the sales of domesticwood burning and multi-fuel stoves havemore than doubled in UK and Ireland since200531. A recent study also suggested thatthe woodfuel supply chain could generate1billion VA and 15,000 jobs in the UKby 202032. We have also heard concerns

regarding the potential negative impactsof large scale bio-energy plants, whichcould threaten wood processing marketsand risk imports of woodfuel fromunsustainable sources. hese risks reectpotential tensions between overnmentobjectives and policies.

here may be opportunities for forestowners to benet from additional incomethrough developing markets as carbon or

ood protection services. uch models arein their infancy but experiences from othercountries may help to inform developmentin ngland.

As a anel, we are in the early stages of ourdiscussion of the relevant economic issues.We have yet to come to any conclusions butour vision for the future is of a protable,vibrant forestry sector providing variedemployment opportunities and delivering

a wider range of benets to more people.Business models need to be viable for the

future and whilst timber, fuel and otherproducts will remain key, they cannotcontinue to underwrite the other ecosystemservices that society gets from forests.hese benets need to be supported intheir own right.

31. ersonal communication with David pencer, tove Industry Alliance

32. he economic value of the woodfuel industry to the UK economy by 2020: eport for the Forestry Commission

published by the Centre for conomics and Business esearch in 2010

http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/pls/portal/docs/A/BC_CHNICAL/ACH%20AND%20UDI/

CNMIC%20UDI/2010-06-30%20CNMIC%20VALU%20F%20WDFUL_VID%20.DF

A ourishing and commercially viable domestic forestry

sector, which provides at present around a third of the

UKs woods needs, principally in construction, packaging

(such as pallets) and garden products, is economically

essential for the health of the UK economy
http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/pls/portal/docs/pAge/BeC_teCHNICAL/reseArCH%20AND%20stUDIes/eCoNoMIC%20stUDIes/2010-06-30%20eCoNoMIC%20VALUe%20oF%20WooDFUeL_reVIseD%20report.pDFhttp://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/pls/portal/docs/pAge/BeC_teCHNICAL/reseArCH%20AND%20stUDIes/eCoNoMIC%20stUDIes/2010-06-30%20eCoNoMIC%20VALUe%20oF%20WooDFUeL_reVIseD%20report.pDFhttp://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/pls/portal/docs/pAge/BeC_teCHNICAL/reseArCH%20AND%20stUDIes/eCoNoMIC%20stUDIes/2010-06-30%20eCoNoMIC%20VALUe%20oF%20WooDFUeL_reVIseD%20report.pDF


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Section 2In the frst part o this report we have outlined

the range o dierent benefts that woods and

orests provide, across the triple bottom

line o people, nature and the economy.

We now turn to our emerging thoughtson what this means or organisations,

policies and markets. All o this work, especially

in relation to the woods and orests outside

o the public orest estate, needs urther

development beore our recommendations in

our fnal report next spring.

rogress eport 2011 21rogress eport 2011 21


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Woodland creation andmanagement

We believe there is a unique opportunity

for tomorrows landscape to be more richlyendowed with trees, and that a step changein action is needed to deliver this. If we wantto maximise the benets that woods andforests can provide for people, nature andthe economy then we need to increase boththe number of trees in the nglish landscapeand also the amount of well managedwoodland33. Neither woodland creation nor

woodland management are at the levelsthey should be34.

here are a large number of complexfactors at play. We have heard reasons forowners not to actively manage their forestsand woods that include their personalmotivation, the costs involved, beinguncertain on what action to take,

for example to increase the number ofspecies in their woods, and unfamiliarity

with the associated grants and regulations.We note that where good managementof woods is taking place it can also be fora wide variety of reasons, including theproduction of timber, to better enablesporting, recreation or tourism activities,and improvements to sustain or enhancenature. ften this is supported through

overnment grants, private funds orcharitable giving. But frequently the costsof the practical work undertaken to tend

to a wood exceed any income generated.

here are also multiple factors that inuencethe level of woodland creation, includingthe cost of land and the value of timber orcrops which might otherwise be grown onthat land.

he purpose for which new woods arecreated and brought into management

must determine the types of trees planted,their location, the cost and the types ofmanagement activity encouraged. Increating new woods, it is important to usethe right tree, in the right place, to achievethe desired goal.

We believe the nancial viability of bothmanaging existing and creating newwoodland, activities that both cost money,is absolutely key to unlocking all the different

benets woodland can provide. Futurewoodland management must be viewedalongside the creation of new woods if weare to avoid creating the unmanaged woodsof tomorrow.

We welcome the overnments ambition,shared by all political parties, to createmore woodland in ngland and for agreater proportion of existing woodlandsto be sustainably managed. he National

cosystem Assessment, the Lawton reviewand other scientic studies tell us that thereare compelling reasons to act now to make

this happen, and that it makes economicsense to do so.

We believe there is great potential hereto make a step change. Any action taken

must be underpinned by the outcomeswe are looking to achieve. he creationand management of woods should always

be linked back to end goals of restoringand enhancing our natural world, of peoplebeing able to connect with this, and ofsupporting a greener economy.

33. ee footnote 2234. he UK Forestry tandard is the accepted benchmark for sustainable woodland management including

environmental requirements: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/ukfs


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We will look at how, where and at whatrate to increase the amount of woodland

in our landscape, what types of trees weshould plant, for what purpose; and in doingso will draw on the work of the WoodlandCarbon ask Force and others with relevantexpertise. We will look at whether the rangeof overnment actions, like grants, relatingto woodland management are the rightones, and whether they are being usedin the right way, to encourage the rightoutcomes. And we will consider how toalign these actions with other land

management policies and incentives.ur commissioned economic analysiswill consider these issues, alongside thepotential of new and developing initiatives,such as carbon markets, and the freshopportunities they may offer.

The public forest estate

By land area, the public forest estate isonly 18% of nglands woods and forests.However, in terms of what this means itclearly has a far greater role than thissimple statistic would suggest.

We believe there is an important continuingrole for a national public forest estate inngland. It is right that the way in whichthis tremendous asset is managed and usedshould evolve to reect peoples aspirationsand wider challenges like climate change.he managers of the public forest estateshould strive to be exemplars of managingland for social, environmental and economicbenets, and inspiring other landowners todo the same.

We want this expectation to be enshrinedin how the public forest estate is managedfor the future, and for the benets to be feltby a far greater number of people.

he manager of the public forest estateis Forest nterprise ngland, an xecutive

Agency of the Forestry Commission withpublic corporation status. In 2011/12, it hada turnover of 70 million. f this, 50 million(70%) was projected to come from tradingactivities, with timber the biggest singleincome stream at 27 million35. here is asmall income stream from joint ventures andcommercial partnerships entered into withinthe last ve years (1.2 million in 2011/12).A further 20 million comes from theovernment via the Forestry Commission

budget; which, in turn, is funded by theDepartment for nvironment, Food andural Affairs. o us, this funding of the publicforest estate appears to represent very goodvalue for money.

A public forest estate that can adapt

and evolve

he public forest estate needs to be

managed for the long term, and in away that allows it to adapt and evolve.his includes being able to respond tothe threat of climate change and the needto decarbonise our economy. here isalready a need to address disease and shiftbiodiversity loss to gain. he public forestestate has to continue to be responsive tothe wider context, whether this is changesin the global economy; or challenges facinglocal communities. oing forward, it is

right that land should be able to be boughtand sold in pursuit of greater benets fromthe estate as a whole. What should nothappen is for land to be sold to make up fora shortfall in income, as has happened inrecent years, as this undermines the viabilityof the estate.

35. Current Business Model and Financial Management of the Forestry Commissionprepared by the ForestryCommission for the Independent anel on Forestry in 2011 http://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/les/aper-4-2-

Current-Busniess-Model-and-Financial-Management-of-FC.pdf
http://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/files/Paper-4-2-Current-Busniess-Model-and-Financial-Management-of-FC.pdfhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/files/Paper-4-2-Current-Busniess-Model-and-Financial-Management-of-FC.pdfhttp://www.defra.gov.uk/forestrypanel/files/Paper-4-2-Current-Busniess-Model-and-Financial-Management-of-FC.pdf


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But the public forest estate is more than justa large area of land owned and managed by

the state. It is a wonderful asset that could,and should, deliver so much more for thenation. While the public forest estate is only18% of our woodlands, it constitutes overone third of the woodland area in activemanagement in ngland. ositive actionfor people, nature and the economy onthe public forest estate can be achieved farmore readily than in most other woodlands,if the will and ambition is there. We believethat greater access to capital investment,

and new structures to allow individuals,community groups and local organisationsfar greater involvement in how their localwoodlands are managed, could unlocka new and exciting future for the publicforest estate.

A public forest enjoyed by the public

We believe that at least the current level

and quality of access to the public forestestate should be maintained, for the longterm, and for the benet and health of thenation. here is a challenge to make thismore nancially sustainable. We want toapproach this topic with an open mind,recognising that access already comes at acost, and that greater or enhanced accesswill inevitably cost more.

A public forest that protects andenhances nature in England

he public forest estate, because of its size,diversity and geographic footprint, alreadyplays a key role in the protection of ourlandscape, biodiversity and cultural heritage.here is the potential to increase that roleso that the estate makes a more signicant

contribution to the creation of a coherentand resilient ecological network within

ngland.

In our nal report we will explore how muchhabitat restoration and improvement shouldbe taking place on the public forest estate,and where, within the context of the widerlandscape, it should happen. his needsto include the costs involved as well asthe benets.

A public forest that contributes toa thriving forestry sector in England

he Forestry Commission is the largest singletimber producer in ngland, supportingjobs and businesses through the timbersupply chain. We recognise the need forconsistency and scale across the publicforest estate, so that businesses can planand invest with condence. We want tounderstand whether this is working in a waythat delivers maximum benets.

We should look to the Forestry Commissionto innovate and lead by example; acting asa centre of gravity within local communitiesfor advice, skills development and businessinnovation.

Electoral and forestry cycles are not instep: we need a new structure withinwhich the public forest estate can thrive

Forestry, in common with other pressuresfacing our society is not a single-generationissue. he economic and ecologicaltimescales of woodland management aresimply not in step with electoral cycles.he number of forestry policies that havebeen brought forward over the last 50years within the lifetime of a single tree


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bear witness to this. We need to describe anew relationship between the public forest

estate, public institutions and the publicwithin which these different timescales are asource of strength and security, rather thanof tension.

We want the ownership of the public forestestate in ngland to be secured for thefuture; with accountability mechanisms thatextend upwards to political institutions (thatideally would adopt a cross-party position)as well as outwards to wider society, in order

to harness the high degree of public interestin its management and future direction.

The business model is out of step withwhat the organisation is delivering

Forest nterprise ngland operates a mixedbusiness model it is neither fully-fundedby overnment, nor nancially self-sufcient.Historically, the focus of the public forestestate was on timber production, with the

cost of producing that timber being metthrough its sale at market. he relativelyrecent shift towards the delivery of wide-ranging public benets, including accessand nature conservation (the value of which,as estimated by the National cosystemAssessment36 , far exceed that of thetimber), is out of step with this model.he value of these benets is not capturedon the balance sheet. Compounding this,

nglands forestry legislation is complex andhas evolved in a piecemeal fashion over thelast century.

Now is the right time to review andconsolidate this position. In our nal reportwe will reect on the purpose of theForestry Commission and the legislationthat underpins it. We will look at the

scope to develop new commercial incomestreams on the public forest estate as well

as increase existing ones; and how paymentfor ecosystem services (for example carbonstorage) might play into a futureincome mix.

The Forestry Commission:a forestry focus within Government

he roles and responsibilities of the ForestryCommission extend far wider than the

woods and forests in state ownership, ofcourse; and Forest nterprise ngland, whichmanages the public forest estate, is but onearm of the Forestry Commission.

Forest ervices is the part of ForestryCommission focused on creating the rightconditions to encourage all landownersand managers to protect, improve andexpand the woodland resource in ngland.It administers the nglish Woodland

rant cheme, which provides around30 million a year to woodland owners insupport of woodland creation and targetedmanagement activities37; as well as settingand enforcing the regulatory frameworkwithin which these activities take place.Importantly, Forest ervices staff work onthe ground with woodland owners, givingthem tailored support and advice.

Forest esearch is the Forestry Commissions

research agency, and is a B-wide body.It provides much of the evidence base andscientic advice to inform forestry policy andpractice. wo thirds of its income is derivedfrom the Forestry Commission; with theremainder sought from external sources.

36. ee footnote 5

37. ee footnote 35


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Looking beyond the Forestry Commission,the overnment acts in a number of other

ways to inuence and catalyse action in the82% of woodlands that sit outside the publicforest estate. nvironmental tewardshipschemes administered by Natural nglandrepresent another source of directgovernment funding for private forestry,contributing around 3.6m annuallyin support of forest activity38.

But a forestry sector that becomes tooreliant on overnment subsidies is one that

is likely to be vulnerable to the challengesof the future. overnment needs to createan incentive and regulatory structure forforestry in which business innovation canourish, and new markets for wood andwood products are able to emerge, in turngenerating jobs and skills within the sectorand beyond. overnment should take awide view and support woodland ownersin indentifying a sustainable and ideallyprotable future for their woodlands which

delivers for them personally, and for thetriple bottom line.

he overnments WoodfuelImplementation lan and enewable HeatIncentive are opportunities to do this39.Looking more widely, the review of theenewables bligation40, planning policyreforms and reform of the CommonAgricultural olicy are also relevant to thisagenda. he wider regulatory environment

is as important for the forestry sector as anyother business. Crucially, we believe that

there are roles for overnment, industry andthe public in revitalising the forestry sector.

We welcome the recent report of theForestry egulation ask Force41, and lookforward to the overnment responsein the New Year. he ask Forces remitwas to examine, and where necessarymake recommendations to improve, theeffectiveness of the current regulatoryregime and incentive schemes. We will be

working with the ask Force to understandand consider their proposal for a Woodlandartnership Initiative, in particular.

In our nal report will consider whetherpublic money being spent beyond theboundaries of the public forest estate is costeffective in delivering the right level andmix of social, environmental and economicbenets, in the right places, and to as manypeople as possible. We have commissioned

economic analysis to consider these issueswithin the framework of the full range ofpublic benets that can be derived fromall woods.

he broader forestry context is alsopotentially changing, as the Welsh andcottish overnments explore bringingForestry Commission operations intheir countries under the full control oftheir devolved governments. he Welsh

overnment has announced their intention

38. ersonal communication with Natural ngland. Figure relates to 2011-12 nvironmental tewardship expenditure

on woodland creation, management and restoration including wood pasture and parkland

39. Woodfuel implementation plan 2011-2014published by the Forestry Commission in 2011

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/england-woodfuel;

he enewable Heat Incentive scheme was announced by the overnment in 2011

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/renewable_ener/incentive/incentive.aspx

40. Details of the enewables bligation can be found here

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/renewable_ener/renew_obs/renew_obs.aspx

41. Challenging Assumptions, Changing erceptionspublished by the Forestry egulation ask Force in 2011

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/DFB13661ForestryLo.DF/$le/DFB13661ForestryLo.DF


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to create a single body made up of theForestry Commission Wales, Countryside

Council for Wales and the nvironmentAgency Wales42.

We need to be ready for the impact ofthese changes in ngland. In our nalreport, we will consider what organisationalarrangements might work best for theForestry Commission as a whole, in a post-devolution landscape. We will also look atwhich activities are best carried out at Blevel (for example, the setting of woodland

management standards, research andinnovation, and plant health monitoringand disease response) and what might workbest as a local response to landscape andcommunity needs.

Woodlands in private, charitableand other forms of publicownership

We recognise the importance of woodlandsthat are owned by private, charitable, localauthority and community organisations inmaximising the potential benets of nglishforests; after all, they make up more than80% of forests by area. We also know thatthere are a number of issues that make itchallenging to deliver some of our desiredoutcomes, including the diverse ownership,the fragmented nature of these forests

and difculties for managers of small scalewoods to build up the knowledge and skillsnecessary to manage woods in a multi-purpose way. We will take these issues intoaccount when developing our vision of thefuture and the possible future businessmodels. At this stage in our work we have

devoted less time to consideration of privatesector forestry, than we have to the public

forest estate.

Delivering more woodland

management

he proportion of unmanaged orundermanaged woodland in the privatesectors means that we will not achieveour aims unless we address the underlyingissues. he development of the woodfuelmarket is one way in which more privatewoodlands may come under activemanagement, but to achieve its potentialthere may be a need for advice to owners toenable them to access markets. We will alsoconsider what other changes are neededto get more woodland into management.

Delivering greater access

he value of access is clearly demonstrated

not only by work such as the Nationalcosystem Assessment43 but also by theresponse to the call for views. here areowners that are happy to give access to theirforests. thers allow informal access for localpeople. For some any access causes issues,either because it is important to them toretain their privacy or because there arecosts associated with access. hese caninclude providing infrastructure, managingcompeting uses and potential liability.

We will be exploring ways to incentivise,rather than compel, private forest ownersto open up more of their estates for publicaccess. We will also be looking at how moreaccess can be built in from the start to newforests and woodland.

42. Welsh overnment press release

http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/environmentandcountryside/2011/111129body/?lang=en

43. ee footnote 5


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Long term fnancial viability

We recognise the need to ensure the long

term nancial viability of all sectors ofnglish forestry. We will look to understandhow effective grant schemes have been andhow they could be improved. For example,we know that there are particular challengesto nancial viability for small woodlandsand we are keen to address these issuesespecially as small woodlands play a specialrole in many communities. However, wehave also noted that prot is not always

the primary motivation, particularly forsmall woodland owners. Information andadvice services may have an important rolein helping small woodland owners both tomanage their woods and access markets,as might designing grant and certicationschemes that appeal more broadly.

In addition we will look at the potential foradditional income opportunities to enablewoodland owners to benet from thedelivery of public benets, such as carbonor ood protection.

Next steps: continuing the journey

his progress report reects the journeyof our work to date. We are excited by thechallenge before us, as we work to deliverour nal report to the ecretary of tatenext spring.

We have drawn much inspiration from thevisits we have undertaken to forest andwoodland locations around the country,and we will be making further visits duringthe course of our work. In addition todrawing on the call for views, we havecommissioned a variety of researchreports and workshops, spanning history,ecology and economics, which will allinform our work. We have commissioned a

review of work on access and communityengagement. We will continue to meet with

different groups and test out their ideas.

We hope that this progress report helpseveryone to understand more about ourwork to date, our initial thoughts about thesort of vision needed for forests and woods,and therefore for forestry policy in ngland.We are not specically seeking commentson our progress report, but as ever, weremain open to ideas and suggestions thatour work may stimulate.


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rogress eport 2011 29rogress eport 2011 29

Annexes


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Annex 1 Terms of reference and membership

Independent Panel on Forestry Policy in England: Terms of reference1. o advise the ecretary of tate for nvironment, Food and ural Affairs on the future

direction of forestry and woodland policy in ngland.

2. o advise on the role of the Forestry Commission in implementing policy on forestry andwoodland in relation to ngland.

3. In formulating this advice, the anel should consider:

a) how woodland cover can be increased, given competing pressures on land use forfood production, energy and development;

b) options for enhancing public benets from all woodland and forests, in the light of

the Lawton eport and the Natural nvironment White aper, including; public access for recreation and leisure;

biodiversity, wildlife protection and ecological resilience, including throughrestoration of open habitats and plantations on ancient woodland sites;

climate change mitigation and adaptation;

economic development, particularly to support a sustainable timber industry anda wide range of small and medium sized enterprises, including social enterprises;and

engagement and participation of civil society.

c) constraints and competing demands on public expenditure for this pending eviewperiod and beyond;

d) the role of Forest nterprise ngland as the manager of productive forestryresources;

e) the value for money and cost-effectiveness of the public forest estate in ngland andoptions for its future ownership and management.

4. In formulating its advice to the ecretary of tate, the anel will be expected to engageand take evidence from the widest range of views and interest.

5. he anel will report to the ecretary of tate in April 2012, with a progress report in the

autumn of 2011.

Membership

he ight everend BishopJames Jones Chair

hireen Chambers

Dr Mike Clarke

om Franklin

tuart oodall

tephanie Hilborne B

ue Holden

Dr Alan Knight B

Dame Fiona eynolds

ir Harry tudholme

John Varley

William Worsley


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Annex 2 Call for views

n the 19th May 2011 the Independent anel on Forestry launched its call for views. Wewanted this to be an opportunity for anyone with a connection, whether a dog walker,environmentalist, forestry worker, wood processor, commercial forest owner, motorsportenthusiast, cyclist or a family who love weekends at the forest, to get involved, share their viewson the future of forests and woodland in ngland and make their voice heard to the panel.

he response was incredible with huge numbers of individuals, clubs, charities, organisationsand businesses putting pen to paper, keyboard to computer, or in one case paintbrush tocard, in order to express their opinion. he Call for Views was featured widely online andpicked up by numerous organisations including the Woodland rust and the campaigngroup 38 Degrees.

We have used what you have said to us, alongside other advice about forests and woods(e.g. the ead eport Combating Climate Change, A ole for UK Forests), what peoplehave said to us when we have visited or spoken with them, and our own experience andknowledge to help form the ideas in our progress report. We will continue to use theinformation everyone has provided as we work towards our nal report due in pring 2012.

What did we ask?

Call for views

he Independent anel on Forestry would like to hear your views on forests and woods

in ngland, and what this part of our landscape can and should provide, now and inthe future. his call for views is the start of an ongoing dialogue with everyone who isinterested in forests and woods. We want your help with understanding:

what forests and woods deliver for people, communities, nature and the economy;

what it is about forests and woods that people value so much and why; and

what works in the practice and can be repeated in other locations.

We would welcome your views and ideas on any aspect of forests and woods. hefollowing list of questions may help frame your response. It would be helpful for us if youcould respond under these broad questions.

Question 1 What do forests and woods mean to you?

Question 2 What is your vision for the future of nglands forests and woods?

Question 3 What do you feel to be the benets of forests and woods to:

a) you personally;

b) society as a whole;

c) he natural environment; and

d) he economy?

Question 4 We would like to hear about your suggestions of practical solutions andgood practice which can be replicated more widely.

Question 5 What do you see as the priorities and challenges for policy about nglandsforests and woods?


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Who responded to the call for views

In total we received 42,159 responses to our call for views. hese came from individuals,organisations and businesses across the UK. From the very rst response we received to thelast it was clear that each and every response represented a persons, or number of peoples,

time, effort, interest and passion.

223 letters, 7063 emails 34,873 responses received via 38 Degrees

f the emails we received direct, 3841 responses came from individuals via the facility onthe Woodland rust website, and over 262 were based on a template response issue by theMotor ports Association.


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Number of responses to the Independent Panel on Forestrys callfor views by Postal Area

his map shows the location of the 5572 respondents that included a postcode in theirresponse, many of which responded via the Woodland rust. he responses submitted by38 Degrees did not contain post code information.

Legend

Postal Area

Number of responseLegend

Postal Area

Number of responses

Less than 19

Between 20 and 41

Between 42 and 63

More than 64


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Analysing the responses

iven the success of the call for views andthe scale of responses received it was alwaysgoing to be a challenge to capture andsummarise the wide range of views expressedwithin them. ach response was logged,looked at and as many as possible were readin full with the aim of capturing the viewsheld within them. he majority of responseswe received fell in to one of three styles:

esponses originating mostly fromindividuals that are relatively short,

frequently passionate and oftendescribing the many positive aspects ofwoodlands. hey often contain detailsof how that person specically interactswith their local forest be it throughwalking, horse riding or bird spotting.

esponses received from a broadmix of individuals, organisations andbusinesses focussing on the issuessurrounding a particular geographic area,woodland or activity. Included in the

mix were woodland owners, managers,and individuals with expert forestryknowledge who often approachedthe questions from a different angle,identied problems and provided specicideas or suggestions.

esponses that are longer, denser, andmore technical and often running to

several, fact and gure lled, pages. heyare commonly from an organisation,business or expert. hese consideredsome of the problems and opportunitiesassociated with forests and woods inngland and offered ideas or suggestionfor what was required if the full potentialof forests and woods to be realised.

hrough sampling and analysis we identiedand extracted the key messages from allthe responses received in order to examine

them in greater detail. For topics such asaccess and landscape and biodiversitythe views expressed are generally consistentacross all the different styles of responsewhereas for topics, such as industry,opinion is far more wide ranging.

ne thing that is evident across all theresponses is the important role woodlandplays in so many peoples lives. Forests andwoodlands are intrinsically linked to our

nations psyche. he passion generated,and feelings evoked, are clear to see.he responses also revealed some ofthe intractable issues that need to beunderstood and seized upon if the fullbenets provided by forests and woodsare to be obtained.

Question 1 What do forests and woods mean to you?

A Wordle based on all the 38 Degrees responses to Question 1.

Wordle generates word clouds from text. he clouds give greater prominence to words

that appear more frequently in the text.



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Analysis of key words

he following key words were taken froma sample of 500 responses sent directlyto the Independent anel on Forestry andthose received from 38 Degrees. here wasbroad agreement between the two sets ofresponses. However because there

seemed to be more variation in the directresponses than the 38 Degrees responses,more of the direct responses were includedin the analysis (300) than 38 Degreesresponses (200). he key words and topicsidentied were then grouped by theme.

Access

Available for all Freedom riceless

ublic access Freedom to wander Free places

Access Keep them public Free to use

Freedom of access Not for sale Never be privatised

Community Unrestricted Inexpensive

Unhindered access tay in public hands Not just [for] wealthy people

Not sold Non prot making Free

rotect from businesses Freedom to roam

Recreation and using the forests for enjoyment

port Motor cycling Keep t

allying xplore Naturalists

Leisure More public paths entle exerciseHorse riding Friends Local craftspeople

Motor sport Music Bike rides

Walks Nature watching Walk

ecreation Creative ducation

Walking dogs oam Horseriding

Inspiration Culture Natural playground

icnic Wildlife watching aint

tage rallying Ball games Draw

unning Dog racing Duke of dinburgh Awardourism ets Friends and family

Cycling Visit laying in the woods

njoyment amblers rienteering

Mountain biking Interest Campsites

Bird watching Art Festivals

Adventure hotography Celebrations

xercise pen space ake photographs

Adventure courses Fun Learn to ride bicycles

Camping eam building Acorn battlesFamily Motorised trail riders Climb

Children Wander


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Escape, peace, health and wellbeing

njoy oul enhancing leasureHealthy lifestyle olace Freedom

Caring xciting Quality of life

pen quiet areas anity efuge

asis Haven Fresh air

Mental health Interaction ranquillity

efreshment Noise piritual wellbeing

ilence Meditate Joy

Welfare Wilderness olitude

ejuvenate eace and quiet ense of identity

Content erenity Life

oothing afe Contemplation

nergizing pecial Unwind

educe obesity Happy elax

Heal mile A break from urban

echarge our batteries Quiet Mental wellbeing

ssential hink Calm

Freshness Breathe WonderCommunity spirit est Feel alive

Creativity eace of mind econnect

estful leasant scape

Lifeline tress relief thical

echarge anctuary Uplifting

piritual Bereavement Health

etreat Wellbeing eace

ocial and psychological

wellbeing

Antidote to modern life

in towns

Educational benefts

ducation xplore and discover each

Children Natures classrooms Feed their imaginations

Learn Botanical study Imagination

Learn about the natural world Learning the names of trees Interesting

ocial and emotionaldevelopment

ducation for us andour children


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Wildlife and nature

Birds lder Beech treesWoodpecker Birch Nature

ree creeper Wildlife corridors Habitats

Jay Dormice Mix of trees

ea sticks Hedgerows Indigenous plants, animalsand birds

Conservation Meadows Flowers

rees Deer Mammals

ak Boar Copses

Bluebells Cuckoos Birdsong

Wilderness Colour and contrast Dogs

pring ower pring owers Fungi

Animals Foliage nowdrops

Fauna and ora pecies Wood anemone

Natural environment Foxes Wood sorrel

Wildlife haven cenery ed squirrel

Beech Bugs lant life

Insects Flora reen corridorsLeafmould Fauna Hedges

Yellow primrose Broadleaf trees Naturalist

lades lant life Bushes

Wildlife Woods hrubs

More deciduous woods Forests helter

Biodiversity Woodland roves

Natural world Bird watching eptiles

Butteries weet scented Broadleaf

onds reen spaces Bees

Woodland corridors Nature preservation Heathland

Ancient yew Ancient woodland crub

Life on earth Wild owers parrows

Indigenous trees Woodland creatures sprey

Native plants Lake Alders

Living creatures Birds singing uelder rose

eptiles Hazel


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Environmental benefts

xygen nvironment Help cut global warmingustainability enewable fuel Absorb C2

low wind bscure trafc noise roducers of oxygen

Biomass Hydrological management educe ooding

Climate control Clean air Carbon neutral

lobal warming Conserve water Carbon capture

Clean water Noise pollution Cleaner environment

Habitat retention Flood urication of air

reenhouse gases roundwater stabilisation Harbour wildlife

Balance built up environment revent erosion oil formation Life force of the countryside

Lungs nvironment Water security

Capture carbon Climate change Where wildlife can ourish

Carbon Air quality ich and thriving ecosystem

cology Biodiversity ure air

reen energy cosystem Carbon sink

enewable energy hrive Carbon sequestration

oil erosion efuges for wildlife Unspoilt countryside

cosystems Wood fuel Diversity of ecologyreen space Balance natural Habitat

Wonderment and beauty

cenery ights Decorative

Beauty Changing seasons Useful

Landscape urity Vital

Hear laces of natural beauty Natures jewels

View Beautiful Heart of the countryside

Lovely o be revered piritual and creative refuge

Colour Untouched beauty enew the soul

mell Very special places recious

Magical Inspiration Awe

reen colours hafts of sunlight Beautiful landscape

omething the communitycan treasure

njoy the scenery


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Natures larder

Food Drugs HerbsBerries Mushrooms Vegetables

Fruit Blackberries oultry

aspberries Cherries Fuel

Nuts lderower Direct sources of food

Heritage and national identity

Ancient trees ssential part of Britains

heritage

Famously painted by our

great mastersHeritage Lifeblood of the country ast

History British landscape Memories

Ancient woodland ngland Britannia

Connect with past Culturally important verlasting heritage

econnect Vital to our island National heritage

Economic benefts

Leisure industry Cafes revent overcrowding

imber industry B&Bs Affect farming positively

mployment esources co-tourism

Income for LAs ourist revenue Wood, fuel and fodder

ourism Vitally important Biofuels

Attract visitors enewable fuel Coppicing

Local economy aw materials for industry Charcoal production

Commerce enewable resource Jobs

Valuable commodity Fences evenueLocal trade Woodland products imber

ural employment conomy Firewood

Free Cost Furniture

Craftwork sales Livelihood esources for futuregenerations


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Preservation and protection or the uture

Increase % of land coveragedevoted by forests

rotect woods forfuture generations

emove invasivenon-native species

Keep public out ublic ownership Nurtured

reservation xtension of hardwoods Happy and healthy

Maintenance Future Not a nancial resource

Non prot lottery ize rotect by statute

ood paths Maintained Hold in trust

xpansion Conserved

rotection reserve them naturally

Other benefts

reventing anti socialbehaviour

egain grounds lost tofarmers

Foundation of life Community Control

What orests mean

Local Communities verything Life he survival of the planet

38 Degrees

he largest single number of responses to the anels call for views came via the organisation38 Degrees. Using the same technology that helps to analyse their regular member surveys,38 Degrees worked out their members top three demands to the Forestry anel:

1. Keeping our forests in public ownership2. rotecting the incredible variety of animals and plants that live in our forests

3. Making sure as many people as possible are able to enjoy our forests, including thosewho dont have access to a car, or use a wheelchair, as well as those who want to ridehorses or bikes


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Analysis of key topics

In addition to looking at what the key wordsand themes used in the responses were,we read as many as possible, to interpret

what was being said about topics of directrelevance to our terms of reference.

Question 2 What is your vision for the future of Englands forestsand woods?

A Wordle of answers to Question 2 from 1500 Forestry anel mailbox responses and1500 38 Degree responses.


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Access

Access is frequently referred to in relation

to a particular recreational activity such ashorse riding or orienteering. he majorityof responses call for current levels of accessto be protected and for increased levels ofaccess in future. hat the ability to enterwoodland should be free and not limited byincome is also a popular view.

Many responses call for unrestricted accesswith a number proposing amendments toection 16 of the Countryside and ights of

Way Act 2000 (CW). ection 16 of the Actprovides freeholders and long leaseholderswith the opportunity to voluntarily dedicatetheir land for public access.

he need for greater clarication on certainaspects of access law is also requested.

Managing access in order to minimisedamage is also a theme with landownersrequesting protection and clarity regardingtheir liability, in regard to litigation, frompeople entering their land with or withouttheir consent. he negative aspects ofaccess are also mentioned includinginstances of vandalism, theft and cropdamage. he impact on sporting activityand forest operations (e.g. tree felling etc.)of access is also raised as an issue. heimportance of maintaining and managingights of Way, particularly to those withmobility difculties is also highlighted.

If public forest is to be sold then thereis consistent

Independent Panel on Forestry Progress Report (1)

Documents

Transcript of Independent Panel on Forestry Progress Report (1)