New Environment Act passed into law
According to Defra, the UK’s new environmental legislation leads the way on a global level, aiming to improve air and water quality, tackle waste, increase recycling, halt the decline of species, and improve our natural environment. Specifically, the Environment Act will deliver: Long-term targets to improve air quality, biodiversity, water, and waste reduction and resource […]
Forestry skills crisis puts climate targets at risk
On Thursday 7 October we sent a position paper to Ministers across the UK detailing our serious concerns about the skills shortage in our sector, which we believe puts climate targets at risk. Read the executive summary below or download the full document. We have asked governments to commit to action and offered solutions; we […]
Revised National Planning Policy Framework launched – President’s comment
The National Planning Policy Framework was revised on 20 July 2021 and sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. This revised Framework replaces the previous National Planning Policy Framework published in March 2012, revised in July 2018 and updated in February 2019. Commenting on the revised […]
New software helps cities plant trees to improve air quality
Despite common misconceptions, street trees do not remove pollution from the atmosphere, but instead redistribute pollution by changing air currents within streets and beside open roads. The positioning and amount of planting on a certain street, but also the layout and orientation of that street, are critical to its impacts on local air quality. Researchers […]
John Parker MICFor appointed CEO of the Arboricultural Association
After five years as Chief Executive Officer of the Arboricultural Association (AA), Stewart Wardrop has announced his retirement and John Parker MICFor, the AA’s current Technical Director, will take over from 1 July 2021. Appointed as the Arboricultural Association’s first Technical Director in August 2019, John has been a major influence in shaping and developing […]
ICF President and Executive Director speaking at Accelerating Woodland Creation Conference
The Institute’s President, Sharon Durdant-Hollamby FICFor, spoke at Accelerating Woodland Creation and Management 2021. Sharon joined a panel discussion about the critical role of trees in a green recovery, alongside Paul Brannen, Director of Public Affairs at CEI BOIS; Stephanie Rhodes, Delivery Director – England Tree Planting Programme, Forestry Commission; Dominic Driver FICFor, Head of […]
Queen’s Green Canopy initiative launched
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Patron, has planted a tree to launch The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) – a unique, UK-wide tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, by inviting people to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.” Her Majesty The Queen joined The Prince of Wales for the first […]
Reopened Urban Tree Challenge Fund will plant 44,000 trees
The Forestry Commission and Defra have opened the third round of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund that will support the establishment of 44,000 large trees in towns and cities across England. Focussing on areas with higher social deprivation with fewer trees, particularly near schools and healthcare centres, the fund will support people’s health and wellbeing, […]
Sharon Durdant-Hollamby FICFor elected as President of the Institute of Chartered Foresters
Members of the Institute of Chartered Foresters have elected Sharon Durdant-Hollamby FICFor as the new President. Sharon succeeds Alastair Sandels FICFor, who has completed two years in the role. Geraint Richards FICFor, Head Forester for the Duchy of Cornwall, succeeds Sharon in the role of Vice President. Sharon is the first Chartered Arboriculturist, and only […]
Institute Vice President chairs cross-sector landscape debate
The Institute’s Vice President, Sharon Durdant-Hollamby FICFor, recently chaired a thought-provoking cross-sector debate on the importance of landscape architecture in woodland design. The event was organised by the team at Landscape Matters, a project founded in November 2020 by the Landscape Architects Edward Hutchison and Brodie McAllister BA DipLA FLI FHEA. The aim of Landscape […]
