AN extra 300 workers should be brought into the forestry sector to help plug its skills shortage, a group of MPs has found. 

Members of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) committee have called on DEFRA to fill the woodland creation roles by 2025 in a bid to hit the UK government's tree planting targets of 7,500 hectares each year. 

While a newly launched Development Woodland Officer programme will create 45 apprenticeships, a Forestry Skills Forum’s report painted a bleak picture for the sector, finding 2,500 position could need to be filled in England by 2030. 

READ MORE: EFRA tree planting report 2022: UK Government criticised for 'lack of focus' and push for homegrown timber

As well as the need to fill roles within the industry, EFRA's own report yesterday found: 

  • That it was unclear if enough funding had been allocated to hit tree planting targets 
  • More work must be done with the UK's nurseries to increase production 
  • A bigger push is needed to reduce the country's reliance on imported timber 
  • The principle of 'the right tree in the right place' should be at the heart of all woodland creation plans 

Responding to the EFRA report, industry body Confor called on the government to "learn from the lessons of the past". 

Chief executive Stuart Goodall said: “This is the second EFRA committee report in five years to highlight the lack of progress with tree planting. The last report was ignored and the country lost the chance then to put things right. 

"The government must learn the lessons of its past failures and do things differently.

“There is a lot in this report - and Confor will continue to work with Forestry Minister Lord Goldsmith and Defra officials to implement its recommendations and get tree planting back on track.

"However, time is passing quickly and we need more urgency and more action on the ground.

Forestry Journal: George Eustice insisted the goals were achievable George Eustice insisted the goals were achievable

"Future generations will thank us if the government steps in now and acts decisively to address the loss of trees and timber in England.”

Neil Parish, chair of the EFRA committee, said: "There is a troubling lack of clarity about the government's plans." 

Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said: “We have stretching and ambitious targets when it comes to tree planting, and just last year we launched the England Trees Action Plan.

READ MORE: EFRA tree planting report 2022: Ministers reaffirm commitment to tree planting targets

"We are committed to planting 30,000 hectares of new woodland every year in the UK by the end of this Parliament, backed up by over £500m of funding.

"Last week, I announced that we will be consulting on a target to increase woodland cover and tree canopy cover outside woodlands from 14.5 per cent to 17.5 per cent of total land area in England by 2050.”