Help shape the new National Forest for Wales
The Welsh Government’s plans to create a National Forest for Wales aims to form a connected network of woodlands throughout the country bringing social, economic and environmental benefits. An online interactive map has just been launched to understand where the public would like to see more trees planted by dropping a pin on the area. […]
Institute members accompany Minister for Environment on site visit
Màiri McAllan, Minister for Environment, has seen at first hand the multiple benefits of large-scale tree planting for the country’s economy and environment. Ms McAllan visited the Knowes & Keltie site near Dunning, Perthshire, where a 450 hectare (ha) site has been planted over the last two years. The site in the Ochils has made […]
Policy Roundup – February 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute News This month the Institute brought together a group of 20 senior practitioners and leads in organisations across the sector to discuss environmental land management and agricultural transition in England. It is rare […]
Two major forestry funds to reopen
The Forestry Commission has announced that it will reopen two major grant schemes in early 2022. Woods into Management (WiM) Forestry Innovation Funds With an increased demand for wood and increased levels of woodland management, this fund will support new and innovative ideas that will ultimately help improve the ecological condition of woodlands and their […]
Institute leads discussion on agricultural transition
On Wednesday 2 February the Institute brought together 20 senior practitioners and experts from across the sector to discuss the government’s plans for Environmental Land Management (ELM) and Agricultural Transition in England. This was based on the group we convened to produce an ELM position paper in 2019 and sector response to the 2020 consultation. […]
Landscape Recovery scheme opens for applications
The Landscape Recovery pilot, one of Defra’s three new environmental land management schemes, has just launched its first round aimed at farmers and land managers. Designed to achieve the Prime Minister’s ambition to deliver at least 10 large-scale areas devoted to landscape and ecosystem recovery by 2024, pilot projects will focus on: recovering and restoring […]
Further cases of Phytophthora pluvialis found in Wales
After it was first discovered in Gwynedd in December 2021, the pathogen Phytophthora pluvialis has now been confirmed at a further two sites in Wales – in Crychan, Llandovery and south of the original site in Dyfi forest. P. pluvialis is know to affect Douglas fir and several pine species, causing needle cast, shoot dieback […]
Call for Expert Committee on Forest Science member
The Forestry Commission Expert Committee on Forest Science (ECFS) makes a significant contribution to the development of forest science in the UK. This is at a time of unprecedented interest in the benefits which forestry can provide to society and the importance of objective evidence in guiding choices over trees, woods and forests. The ECFS […]
Scotland’s ‘Tree Oscars’ back with renewed climate focus
Scotland’s ‘Tree Oscars’ are back for 2022 after a highly successful programme in 2021 saw worthy winners ranging from the country’s largest landowner Anders Holch Povlsen to a tiny nursery school. Mr Povlsen and Wildland Ltd won the prize for New Native Woods in Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards 2021, for Killiehuntly in the Cairngorms – […]
Institute meets with Lord Goldsmith
On 10 January we met with the forestry minister Lord Goldsmith and Defra officials to discuss the skills crisis in the sector, further to their response to our position paper. We were very encouraged with their engagement and sense of urgency, which matched our own. Institute Vice President Geraint Richards introduced the issues, the […]
