Voices of Forestry presents analysis and insight from people working all across the forestry sector. In a National Tree Week special, Dr Anna Brown, director of Forest Services, addresses some of the concerns around increasing tree cover.  

THRIVING forests, woods and trees provide a uniquely versatile and proven solution to many of the most pressing societal and environmental challenge.  For instance, woodland creation and management are crucial to our fight against climate change and biodiversity decline, as well as supporting rural growth, providing much needed timber and relieving the burdens on our health service. 

We have seen real progress in the last few years, with woodland creation and tree planting rates being the highest in a decade.  This has not occurred by accident - we have been working in close collaboration with the sector to build the foundations for future growth, helping to ensure that it has the capacity and capability to grow at speed as tree planting across the country increases.

We have invested in vital research to help support the resilience of our trees and woodlands and ensure the sector benefits from the latest technological advances.  In parallel we have launched a ground-breaking degree level apprenticeship programme to help people from all backgrounds start a rewarding career in forestry, and ensure that the wider sector has the skills needed for the future.

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Whilst tree cover in England is increasing, we know there is more work to do.  It is also not enough to just get trees in the ground; we need to protect them as they mature, use their products sustainably, and help people to enjoy the many benefits they bring. 

For good management, we need good managers. We need boots on the ground to plant trees and manage our woodlands. Currently less than half of the area covered by broadleaves is under management in England. This needs to change if we are to boost biodiversity, provide a hardwood timber resource and protect against pests and diseases as our climate changes. 

The forestry sector is dynamic and continuously responding to new science and innovation, but we need more people who are passionate about the environment and who want to make a difference to join us in this shared vision. We must continue to challenge the idea that there are any 'traditional roles' in forestry and encourage more women to consider forestry and arboriculture as a career.  I personally made the decision to join this sector over 30 years ago when women were in a definite minority, and although challenging at times, I couldn’t have wished for a more variable and rewarding career. 

The importance of producing timber is not prominent enough in our conversations, food security is obviously important, but so is timber security – not enough people realise that the UK is the second largest net importer of wood products in the world, and this is a situation we must improve.  Despite this, the UK forestry and primary wood processing sector supports 32,000 jobs and contributes £2billion to the economy. The economic benefits provided by forestry and primary wood processing are comparable to the those of the dairy products sector and are greater than those provided by the UK fishing fleet. As a country, we need to recognise that investing in timber is an investment in growth.

We also want to encourage more landowners and farmers to look at tree planting as not only a benefit to the environment and the landscape, but also to themselves and their businesses. The agroforestry method of farming alongside trees can transform the landscape and agriculture across the board with vast financial, including higher agricultural yields, as well a environmental benefits. 

We must bust any myths that increasing tree cover is not worthwhile. I understand there are many concerns, especially in the current climate, about tree planting on farmland for instance.  I also recognise that the process can feel overwhelming and inaccessible for some. But so many land managers are currently missing out on the exceptional rewards trees can bring and we want to change that, and we are working to make the process as simple and fast as possible for people to plant trees, including through our ‘woodland creation fast track scheme’.  People working in this industry know the benefits trees bring, and we all have a key role to play as advocates for woodland creation and management.

The cost of not planting trees is significant.  If we do not plan and deliver woodland expansion now, the statutory tree planting targets designed to help on the pathway to net zero will be missed – we all know that there is a climate emergency, and this requires an emergency response.  As part of this we need all types of new woodland, but we need to ensure this includes fast growing conifers and other species that sequester carbon quickly, and to ensure future resilience, we need a wide range of species at a landscape scale that are not only suited for today’s climate, but also that the climate of 100 years and beyond.   

We must bust any myths that increasing tree cover is not worthwhileWe must bust any myths that increasing tree cover is not worthwhile

The Forestry Commission is playing our part and working hard to maintain and grow the treescape across England. This includes making nature accessible to all by working to increase trees and woodland cover in our towns and cities through the creation of urban and community forests, as well as supporting landowners to plant more trees on farms, benefiting rural communities. 

As we kick off another tree planting season with the celebration of National Tree Week let’s ensure we are all doing our part to sell the benefits of trees and working in this sector. Trees are a long-term vital investment, and their benefits will accumulate profoundly over time. The treescapes we create now will outlive us all and shape the country our children and grandchildren inhabit.

DISCLAIMER:
Our columns are a platform for writers to express their personal opinions. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the writers’ own organisations or of Forestry Journal.