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
It’s been a busy month at the Institute, well balanced with some cautiously increased freedoms including a Bristol team lunch by the harbour.
The Accelerating Woodland Creation Conference took place online at the end of May and both Institute President, Sharon Durdant-Hollamby FICFor, and Executive Director, Shireen Chambers MBE FICFor, were invited to contribute. June has seen meetings of the Forestry Skills Forum and the Environmental Policy Forum. We are delighted to have appointed two new ICF Representatives, Robert South MICFor for the Woodland Carbon Code Advisory Board and Sonia Lorenzo Martin MICFor for the England Woodland Biodiversity Group. Visit this page to find out more about the groups our members and staff sit on.
Shireen Chambers MBE FICFor wrote to new ministers in Scotland and Wales to welcome them to their new portfolios and offer the Institute’s support, whether as a convener of expert members or as a critical friend. There has been a lot of activity in England too:
- We received a response from George Eustice MP to the letter Shireen sent him expressing concerns about the messaging of the ETAP launch – read response
- Shireen gave evidence to yet another EFRA committee inquiry, this time into tree planting and woodlands, which made for very good viewing – watch committee meeting
- This month saw the launch of the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) and we’re pleased to say we’ll be hosting an event in July where the Forestry Commission will talk delegates through how they got there and the opportunities it offers – bookings are now open.
We’re now working on the biennial CPD survey for members, due out this autumn. It will be your chance to feed back about the CPD opportunities the Institute has offered and to tell us what you want in the future. If you’d be interested in helping us design or pilot the survey to make it as relevant and useful as possible, please contact our Senior Policy and Research Officer, Jemima Cooper.
Policy & Research from the Sector
Views on the England Tree Action Plan
- Royal Forestry Society – read
- Confor – read
- Wildlife and Countryside Link (opinion piece by Andrew Allen, Lead Policy Advocate at the Woodland Trust) – read
- Community Forest Trust – read
- CIEEM – read
Grants & Funding
- Forestry Commission: England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) – view
- Forestry Commission: Latest grants and regulations newsletter – view
- Forestry Commission: Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds – view
- Woodland Carbon Code (WCC): WCC fourth auction deadline in July – view
- Welsh Government: Glastir Woodland Restoration (window 9) – view
- UK Government: Environment Secretary shares further information on funding split for future farming schemes – view
- DAERA: Forest Expansion Scheme and Small Woodland Grant Scheme open in Northern Ireland – view
Policy News & Updates
- NRW Timber sales and marketing plan 2021- 2026 – read
- G7 leaders commit actions to tackle climate change and halt biodiversity loss by 2030 – read
- New amendments to the Environment Bill – read
- Timber Development UK launch new sustainability committee – read
- Defra announce plans to launch new tree health pilot – read
- Blog by Defra joint leads of Nature for Climate programme – read
Publications & Guidance
- ICF Student member, Eilidh Forster, publishes landmark paper on conifers and carbon capture – read
- Forestry England launch five-year plan – read
- TDAG: Trees, Planning and Development – A Guide for Delivery – read
- CIEEM report on carbon and ecosystems – read
- Forestry Commission guidance on managing ash dieback – read
- Interim guide on support frameworks for peatland protection and the establishment of new woodland – read
- Forest Research release latest woodland statistics – read
- CCC publish Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk report – read
