Earth Trust welcomes Forestry Report

The Earth Trust welcomes the report launched today by the Independent Panel on Forestry which urges society to value woodlands for the full range of benefits they bring to life on Earth. Fundamental to the Panel’s findings is the need for our forests and woodlands to be managed for economic returns, nature and biodiversity as well as for people’s health and wellbeing.

Jayne Manley, Chief Executive of the Earth Trust advocates the better management of existing forests as well as the planting of more forests in the future. “Currently our woodlands are often managed for conservation and public access with little thought for their sustainable productive future. At the Earth Trust we are looking holistically at management that delivers the multiple benefits that trees and woodlands can provide. We welcome this report and see its recommendations as important to our society and the world our children and grandchildren will inherit.

We also welcome the recommendation that woodland cover should increase to 15% in the next fifty years. Fundamental to this is knowing what trees we should be planting in future. The Earth Trust is working with partners in the Future Trees Trust and Forest Research, asking Government to foster a woodland culture of tree planting that will be resilient in a changing climate, while providing habitat for wildlife and green space for people.

Improving the quality of the trees we plant, in terms of recoverable timber and ensuring a broad genetic base to maximise resilience to pests and diseases and climate change, will be needed. This will require a concerted effort by the forest industry, growers and researchers to give woodland managers access to the resources they need to establish and manage our forests and woodlands for the future.”

Further information:
Future Forests is one of Earth Trust’s key areas, which advocates integrated management, understanding and demonstration of the multiple benefits of trees and woodlands to our society. As part of this we are carrying out research , of the type identified as important within the report: “to understand the possible impacts of climate change, which tree species and of what provenance might be appropriate for our woodland expansion, and to improve our understanding of the effectiveness of any action taken. “

Improving our future trees - Earth Trust is working with the Future Trees Trust and Forest Research to devise a Strategy for Tree Improvement in Great Britain and Ireland. This will raise the profile of the need for tree ‘improvement’, influence the policy at all levels and secure support for this work to underpin the sustainable future of our forests. Our aim is to produce a strategy that is supported by statutory bodies, NGOs and charities as well as forest industries.

Click here to read Independent Panel on Forestry - Final Report