Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved.
Institute news
From 30 April to 2 May, the Institute’s Executive Director, Louise Simpson, and President, Geraint Richards MVO FICFor, visited Freiburg University Forestry School to explore German urban forestry practices, talk to forestry students and meet with the incoming President of International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO), Professor Dr Daniela Kleinschmit.
On 15 May, Shona Smyth MICFor, Technical Policy Manager attended the Future Funding Scheme to Support Trees Outside of Woodlands Workshop, hosted by the Tree Council. The workshop focussed on co-designing a grant framework for our trees outside of woodlands. This project has since been postponed until after the election on 4 July.
The Institute has also written to several key figures to express our support and concerns for various developing political matters. Firstly, we wrote to Abi Reader, Vice President of NFU Cymru to extend our support for the Sustainable Farming Scheme and to offer the development of partnered CPD. We will be meeting with Abi and Dylan Morgan, Deputy Director/Head of Policy at the Royal Welsh Show in July.
We reached out to Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs at the Welsh Government to highlight the importance of the forestry sector as an integral part of the Welsh rural economy. Finally, we wrote to Forestry and Land Scotland’s new Chief Executive, Kevin Quinlan, to extend our support and highlight our concerns over the recent budget cuts and woodland creation targets.
- Letter to Abi Reader – NFU Cymru
- Letter to Huw Irranca-Davies MS – Welsh Government
- Letter to Kevin Quinlan – Forestry and Land Scotland
Convened by the Chief Forester for Scotland, Dr Helen McKay OBE FICFor, and attended by the Institute’s Senior Education and Outreach Officer, Dr Rob Hawkins, 16 May saw the second meeting of key sector stakeholders and education providers in Perth. With significant changes in the land-based educational landscape, the meeting provided an overview of the significant progress made over the last year on course provision and the reimagining of what and how topics are taught. The meeting, now to be an annual occurrence, ensures FE/HE providers in Scotland are able to talk directly with industry and make receive the vital feedback needed to allow them to make decisions on their offering which benefit the whole sector.
Lastly, Louise Simpson attended the Plant Health Alliance meeting in London; a group of people and organisations that support the Plant Healthy Certification on Tuesday 21 May. It was reported that the forestry sector has seen a strong take up of the certification and work is still ongoing to increase that. The Institute has pledged to continue to offer its support. Our Nurseries Special Interest Group will be talking about the Plant Health Certification at Barcham Trees on July 17 – find out more.
Consultations & political advocacy
Responding to public consultations is an important way to influence policy. We consult with members as much as possible and often work in partnership with other organisations to strengthen our messages. We also produce papers on specific topics where it is important to publish our position.
Following a call for evidence from the Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales Sub-Committee on Skills, Training and Development in April, we submitted a response to Welsh Government highlighting that it is imperative that in the rush to deliver on Government targets we do not unintentionally marginalise expertise and professionalism. We also need urgent and systemic action from individuals, organisations, public bodies, and governments, across departments and borders. It is our collective responsibility to ensure a future forestry workforce that can deliver for climate, nature, people and economic outcomes. Read our evidence.
On 10 May, we submitted our response to the to NatureScot’s consultation on A Biodiversity Metric for Scotland’s Planning System. As part of the consultation, Shona Smyth MICFor was invited to attend the Scottish Biodiversity Planning Metric Roundtable Event on 1 May. The roundtable was jointly organised by the Scottish Government’s Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Division, NatureScot and CIEEM to take place during the initial consultation stage of the development of a Scottish biodiversity planning metric. The roundtable discussion was an opportunity to discuss the proposed scope and approach to this work, highlight existing experience in Scotland and to discuss priorities, opportunities, and challenges. Read our response.
We are also currently submitting a partner response with the Forestry Skills Forum to the recent call for evidence from the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee, who have launched an inquiry into skills policy, focussing on apprenticeships. The Committee will be holding public evidence sessions between April and June and hopes to report to the House before the summer recess.
We are also encouraging members to respond to the following consultations:
- The British Standards Institution: BSI Flex 701 Nature Markets – Overarching Principles and Framework. Closes on 7 June 2024.
- The British Standards Institution: BS 8640 Structural and supported soils for trees in hard landscapes. Closes 23 on June 2024.
- PEFC: EUDR related modification proposals in PEFC ST 1003. Closes on 13 July 2024.
Representation
Our representatives sit on groups, panels, and committees across the sector, actively participating, feeding back developments, and advising us on actions to take. The role of an ICF Representative is a crucial touch point between Institute staff, Council, and members. This month’s representatives’ updates:
Hylobius Industry Research Project: Stuart Wilkie FICFor CEnv, gave an insight into other projects happening alongside UKWAS. Stuart participates in the Hylobius Industry Research Project, where discussions are happening around providing an article on funding for future research work on bio-pest control in advance of the New IPM 2024 Symposium to be held in the autumn. The Hylobius Industry Research Programme (HIRP) is a cross-industry collaborative body working on integrated pest management (IPM) solutions. The programme is seeking contributions for further research with several organisations already committing substantial funds over a five-year period to the Scottish Forestry Trust Hylobius Research Fund. Realistically development of any control option is likely to cost at least £0.5 – 1 million over five years and substantial additional funding is still required. Read the full article in the Summer edition of TREES.
Defra Tree Health Policy Group: The Forestry Commission has confirmed that eradication measures are being undertaken for Ips typographus in East Anglia. Forestry Commission spokesperson Andrea Deol said:
“We can confirm that Ips typographus has recently been reported to the Forestry Commission in East Anglia. We are conducting a swift investigation including rapid eradication measures, alongside wider environment surveillance to determine the scale of the issue and identify additional suitable management actions. All landowners, managers and timber processors should remain vigilant for Ips typographus. It is important for landowners to continue to check the health of Spruce trees on their land, especially as temperatures rise and we enter the next flight season.”
Scottish Forestry Customer Representative Group: Andrew Vaughan FICFor provided the following brief updates from the Scottish Forestry Customer Reps Group:
- UKFS Version 5 – Implementation: It is intended that completion of the Public Register stage by 1 October 2024 will be a suitable cutoff for maintaining use of UKFSv4. Any applications that don’t reach this stage will need to be prepared to UKFSv5. Whilst England and Wales will instead use 1 October as a deadline for submissions designed under UKFSv4, this was ruled out in Scotland because it would cause confusion with stakeholders as many larger projects may not be finally approved until 2025, allowing UKFSv4 to remain live far longer than appropriate.
- Future Grant Support for Forestry: The agriculture reform bill was discussed in Parliament week commencing 13 May, and it is still too early to assess the impact and opportunities for forestry grants, which still need to be scoped. The intention is that proposed components will be discussed and reviewed by the customer representative group.
- Fair Work First: The Scottish Government have determined that any recipient of public funding must pay the Living Wage. Forest Grant Scheme applicants must adhere to the published guidance and a £250k capital grant threshold will require a declaration to be signed confirming “Fair Work First” criteria are applied by the applicants. The policy will require applicants/agents to cascade the declaration down the supply chain.
Special Interest & Steering groups
The Institute’s Special Interest Groups aim to represent the needs and interests of different areas in the sector and facilitate increased knowledge exchange. They work to provide relevant CPD and training for members around their areas of expertise, all whilst working towards a shared understanding of what professionalism means across forestry and arboriculture.
The Environmental Special Interest Group is hosting its first professional development day. Join them on 5 June for two site visits hosted by Network Rail and the City of London Corporation – full details and booking.
Our Nurseries Special Interest Group are hosting their second CPD event on 17 July at Barcham Trees near Ely, with a tour of the nursery covering root and crown development of standard trees, root development in containers, irrigation and nutrition, formative and structural pruning, plant handling and biosecurity. Book your place today.
Sector news, guidance and reports
Advice and guidance on ash dieback
Forestry Commission
Journal article on synergies and trade-offs in the European forest bioeconomy research
ScienceDirect – Forest Policy and Economics
New natural nature reserve status for Borrowdale temperate rainforest
The Guardian
Outbreak of Ips typographus found in East Anglia for the first time
Forestry Journal
An insight into the Forest GALES tool for managing wind risk
Forest Research
TPBE5 Steering Group Chair reflects on the conference
TDAG
Dr Jo Clark receives RFS Gold Medal
Royal Forestry Society
King Charles continues as Royal Patron of RFS
Royal Forestry Society
Latest statistics on UK wood production and trade published
Forest Research
Scottish Forestry allocates £2 million for nine timber transport projects
Scottish Forestry
Welsh Government statement on the future of farming in Wales
Welsh Government
£4 million funding to create new national tree health laboratory at Alice Holt Research Station in Surrey
WIRED GOV
PEFC publish Annual Review of 2023
PEFC
John Swinney elected Scotland’s new First Minister and how it could impact forestry
Forestry Journal
Six new National Forest for Wales sites confirmed
Welsh Government
EFRA Committee Chair letter to government on the soil health inquiry
Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Progress in development of a potential disease-resistant variety of English elm
The Guardian
HSE updates on forestry and arboriculture fatal notifications
Institute of Chartered Foresters
High Court rules the UK Government’s current climate plan as unlawful
CIEEM
New international report on trees and carbon markets
CIFOR-ICRAF
Environmental Audit Committee recommendations on the recent UK’s contribution to tackling global deforestation report
Environmental Audit Committee
Ros Wardman MICFor discusses her challenges and career journey in forestry on Women In Wellies podcast
Women In Wellies
Wooden well discovered from the Bronze Age well-preserved due to being waterlogged in soil
Wood Central
Commercial forestry market less active in 2023 according to new report
Savills
