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Press Release

A vision for England's forests

7 September 2011

In the past year the emotive debate over the future of the Public Forest Estate demonstrated just how passionately the public care about England's forests.

As the Independent Panel prepares to report, the government needs to be ready to respond with a bold and targeted vision for the future of England's forests. At the Woodland Trust we are campaigning for the following crucial actions to be adopted in policy:

1.) The National Planning Policy Framework needs to guarantee full, meaningful protection for ancient woods and trees.

2.) A major increase in the level of woodland creation. It is astounding that in the last decade planting rates in England have more than halved. This is at a time when knowledge of the many benefits of woods and trees has grown significantly. For example, this year the first ever National Ecosystem Assessment concluded: ‘Woodlands provide the highest identified number of ecosystems services including regulating climate, air quality and water flows, providing timber and other wood products as well as a range of cultural benefits.' Given these benefits a woodland creation target of 15,000 hectares per annum should be adopted.

3.) A government commitment to restore the 35, 000 hectares of ancient woods in its ownership which were previously planted with conifers.

4.) Every child to be given the chance to plant trees as part of their formal education.

The Woodland Trust will be attending all three party conferences this autumn to promote our vision for England's Forest's. We are also holding a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference.



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Woodland Trust

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