Our monthly policy roundup blog updates you on what the Institute has been getting involved in and what you can get involved in too.
Institute Policy & Research
- We are refining plans for the Institute’s policy strategy and resulting workstreams
- We published the results of our COVID-19 survey. Read them here
- We have analysed results from the main membership survey. We are now considering the recommendations and then we will publish the results in a blog and in an article in the next Chartered Forester
- Work on the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) proposals is ongoing despite the consultation being paused. For example, we are offering feedback to the Defra satellite group that looks after advice provision
- We are planning activities around the upcoming tree strategy for England. This will be a huge opportunity to influence the government’s approach to increasing and improving woodland across England. We will want your input when it comes out and we aim to provide various routes for you to give feedback, so watch this space. If you’re interested in contributing, please contact Jemima Cooper.
- We are talking to Sir William Worsley among others about plans for a skills summit to ensure the sector gets the boost to skills that it needs.
Institute Representatives & Groups
- We want to keep you in touch with the work of the reps and invite your input as much as possible. So far, we are planning an expanded reps section in the next edition of Chartered Forester, more regular updates and we are thinking about a reps section on the website and an online CPD event. All thoughts on this would be welcome
- We have appointed a new ICF rep, Andy Baker MICFor, who now represents us on the Woodland Carbon Code Advisory Board
- Our UKWAS reps – Elaine Dick MICFor, Simon Hart FICFor and Stuart Wilkie FICFor are involved in the upcoming UKWAS review – we’ll be keeping members updated and inviting your input at various stages
- We joined another Environmental Policy Forum meeting and benefitted from updates on both the Environment and the Agriculture Bills, international trade deals and green recovery, with various opportunities to work with other members.
Public Policy
- The Agriculture Bill passed to Lords on 13th May – read more
- A group of local councils, including Bristol, sent a letter to Defra calling for more local funding for woodland creation to support national targets – read more
- We joined the All Party Parliamentary Group on forestry and tree planting, hosted by Confor, and focussing on green recovery.
In the News
- Yorkshire Post interview with Sir William Worsley
- The Committee on Climate Change have advised government that a green recovery is needed, including increased tree planting – read more
- The 11th Annual Petersberg Climate Dialogue took place at the end of April, a virtual conference co-hosted by the UK and Germany. You can watch a video here.
Publications, Research & Useful Links
- Members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new FSC Pesticides Policy from 1st August 2020 – read more
- Natural England published a climate change adaptation manual – read more
- The Forestry Commission have a video on grants and incentives for woodland creation – read more
- There is increasing talk about a ‘green recovery’ from the coronavirus – read this thorough article from Carbon Brief
For information on changes to working practices for COVID-19 and divergence across the UK, go to our COVID-19 guidance page.
To contribute to next month’s roundup, or if you have any questions or comments, please contact Jemima Cooper, Senior Policy and Research Officer – jemima.cooper@charteredforesters.org.
