Forestry policy & CPD roundup January – March 2026
Welcome to the Institute’s policy update focusing on key developments shaping forestry and land use policy, upcoming consultations, CPD events, and opportunities for member engagement. Headline updates Forestry Commission leadership and policy tone The outgoing Forestry Commission Chair, Sir William Worsley MICFor, reflected on and reinforced three policy priorities likely to shape 2026–2030: Climate‑resilient woodland […]
Forestry policy & CPD roundup — January 2026
Welcome to the first policy update of the year. This month we look back at the last quarter of 2025 and focus on key developments shaping forestry and land use policy, upcoming consultations, CPD events, and opportunities for member engagement. Headline Updates Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 The UK Government published its overarching Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, which sets out a broader […]
Consultation opens on amended UKWAS 5 text on game-release pens
Stakeholders can now make comment on a proposed amendment to UKWAS 5 requirements for game-release pens. Following stakeholder concerns, the UKWAS steering group had charged its revision working group with the task of reviewing and, if thought fit, amending requirement 4.10.1. Working group chair, Peter Wilson FICFor CEnv, said: “This was a challenging task as […]
Policy Roundup – July, August & September 2025
Our quarterly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Welcome to the third quarterly Policy Roundup of 2025, from the Institute’s Technical Policy Manager, Caroline Harrison MICFor. Special Interest Groups Our Special Interest Groups continue to meet quarterly, including a new […]
Policy Roundup – May & June 2025
Our policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Welcome to the third bi-monthly Policy Roundup of 2025 from the Institute’s Technical Policy Manager, Caroline Harrison MICFor. Special Interest Groups Our Special Interest Groups continue to meet quarterly, including a new Special […]
Policy Roundup – January & February 2025
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Welcome to the first Policy Roundup of 2025 with a newish year, two months in, from the Institute’s Technical Policy Manager, Caroline Harrison MICFor, who is now four months into the role. […]
Defra opens consultation on Land Use Framework
The UK Government has launched the much-anticipated Land Use Consultation, kickstarting a 12-week period that will help to shape our natural and built environments in England for decades to come. This consultation presents the government’s assessment of the scale of land use change required to meet Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) and Climate Change Act targets, […]
Policy Roundup – June 2024
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Trees for People, Place and Nature: Growing Trees for Tomorrow’s Needs As the Royal Chartered body for professionals working with trees in the public, private and third sectors, we represent a broad […]
Policy Roundup – April 2024
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Trees, People and the Built Environment 5 From the 23-24 April, all Institute staff attended our annual National Conference, Trees, People and the Built Environment 5. The conference brought together leading professional […]
Policy Roundup – March 2024
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news March has been a busy month for the Institute with many staff getting out and about, engaging with our members and stakeholders. We have also launched ten events, including our Early Careers […]
Policy Roundup – February 2024
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 we announced the four shortlisted candidates for Professional Forester of the Year 2024 – Gordon Brown MICFor, Iwan Lloyd-Williams MICFor, Kenton Rogers MICFor and Dr Eleanor Tew MICFor. This prestigious […]
Policy Roundup – January 2024
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news The Institute is delighted that Tom Jenkins FICFor has been awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the Forestry Sector in the New Year Honours […]
Policy Roundup – December 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Emerging Leader Programme A webinar was held on 5 December, showcasing the final presentations of the Emerging Leaders from the Clore Leadership Development Programme. Three groups, as voted for by peers, presented […]
Policy Roundup – November 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Woodland Creation Summit In June 2023, a delivery action plan was announced aimed at ramping up tree planting levels. This included a £1 million investment by Scottish Forestry to provide comprehensive training for […]
Policy Roundup – October 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news On 28 September, the Institute’s Executive Director Louise Simpson attended the Trees and Trains: Growing Green Corridors conference hosted by Network Rail and the Forestry Commission. Louise joined delegates from across government […]
Policy Roundup – September 2023
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 we have been busy out networking at various conferences and events. On the 6 and 7 September, the Institute’s Senior Events Coordinator, Ella Smith, and Senior Technical Officer, Shona Smyth […]
Policy Roundup – August 2023
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 has again been a busy time for the Institute. We were delighted to announce that the Professional and Educational Standards Committee promoted five more new members to Fellows of the […]
Policy Roundup – July 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news New Head of Policy and Partnerships This month has been one of change and celebration as we said farewell to Jemima Cooper. Jemima looks back at her time with us in a […]
Policy Roundup – June 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Institute’s Council meets On the 6 and 7 June, the Institute’s Council met in Hereford to welcome new trustees, discuss our current five-year strategy’s progress and priorities for the coming years, and […]
Institute signs EPF response to Environmental Outcomes Report consultation
As a member of the Environmental Policy Forum (EPF), we recently signed their joint industry response to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ consultation into Environmental Outcomes reporting. The response outlined four key concerns relating to how a new approach to environmental reporting can be delivered in practice: Missing details Absence of research […]
Policy Roundup – May 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news New President and Vice President Appointed Following our AGM on 25 April, we welcomed a new President and Vice President. Geraint Richards MVO FICFor, Head Forester for the Duchy of Cornwall, succeeds […]
Policy Roundup – April 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news New Cabinet Secretary for forestry in Scotland The Institute welcomed a Cabinet reshuffle in Scotland that saw Mairi Gougeon MSP take up the new role of Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land […]
Policy Roundup – March 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news The Spring Budget to Parliament on 15 March touched briefly on waste and agriculture but barely mentioned nature and the environment, so despite positive progress on trees and woodlands with Defra and […]
Policy Roundup – February 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news February has whizzed by, with plenty of interesting policy news – not least the resignation of Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, where we will be eagerly observing what comes next. This month […]
Policy Roundup – January 2023
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news It has been a busy start to the year at the Institute. We are particularly excited to be working with the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM) on a position […]
Policy Roundup – December 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news There has been a flurry of activity in the run-up to Christmas. Here is a brief run-down of some of our policy and engagement work over the last month. We submitted our […]
Policy Roundup – November 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news The theme of time for change seems to continue, as we’ve had a rollercoaster of parliamentary changes – with Rishi Sunak taking the reins as prime minister, Thérèse Coffey becoming the Secretary […]
Policy Roundup – October 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news We have been delighted to welcome Shona Smyth MICFor to the Institute team as our new Senior Technical Officer. Shona will be working with Jemima on the Institute’s policy positions, as well […]
Policy Roundup – September 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news It has been a time of change at every level – within the Institute, in the sector, in the political landscape and in the monarchy. We have a new Prime Minister, a […]
Policy Roundup – August 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute news Consultations We are submitting evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee inquiry on supporting the UK timber market and reducing global deforestation. Our main points will be about decarbonisation and circular economy, bringing […]
Have your say on the latest sector issues
Express your views on the UK timber industry, managing impacts of deer in England and land reform in Scotland How can we grow the UK timber industry and reduce global deforestation? The Environmental Audit Committee is seeking views on the sustainability of the UK’s timber industry and its links with imports of key […]
Institute tells Defra our environmental targets must reflect society’s need for timber
Response to consultation argues that environmental targets lack coherence and detail on delivery mechanisms, and fails to acknowledge the link between timber production and environmental recovery On 27 June the Institute submitted a response to Defra’s consultation on target-setting for the Environment Act 2021, including a target for woodland cover. This was run in parallel […]
Policy Roundup – June 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute News On 14 June we met with Scotland’s Education Minister Jamie Hepburn to talk about the skills crisis and how we can resolve it. We were joined by Chief Forester Helen McKay FICFor […]
How can communities help make best use of Scotland’s forest and land?
How can we work with communities to make the best use of Scotland’s national forest and land? To find out, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) have launched a consultation that will help set out key principles and strategic priorities that will inform their new Communities Strategy. The new strategy will sit alongside FLS’s Visitor Services […]
Policy Roundup – May 2022
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute News New measures in the Woodland Carbon Code(WCC) have stimulated much debate, not only since their publication but in the many months leading up to it. The Institute is represented on the Woodland […]
New UKWAS standard for urban trees in development
A standard for the certification of ‘Trees outside Forests, particularly those in an urban environment, is being developed by PEFC UK with the support of a small working group. It will act as an appendix to the already endorsed national sustainable forest management scheme, the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS). The UKWAS has been adapted, […]