Landscape Recovery scheme opens for applications

The Landscape Recovery pilot, one of Defra’s three new environmental land management schemes, has just launched its first round aimed at farmers and land managers. Designed to achieve the Prime Minister’s ambition to deliver at least 10 large-scale areas devoted to landscape and ecosystem recovery by 2024, pilot projects will focus on: recovering and restoring […]

Policy Roundup – January 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 Monday 10 January we had a very constructive meeting with forestry minister Lord Goldsmith and the forestry policy team at Defra on skills, following our position paper in the autumn. We […]

Farmers to be rewarded for their role in woodland creation

Since leaving the EU, the government has introduced three new environmental land management schemes that farmers can get involved in and can be rewarded for participating in. The Local Nature Recovery scheme, Landscape Recovery scheme and Sustainable Farming Incentive will be critical in halting the decline in species by 2030, bringing up to 60% of England’s […]

Policy Roundup – December 2021

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 another challenging year, from COVID-19 to Storm Arwen, with not a single dull moment in the world of tree policy. In the 2020 Membership Survey, our members’ top priority […]

Policy Roundup – November 2021

Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute News Our Position Paper on the Forestry Skills Shortage Last month we launched a campaign on the forestry skills crisis that was covered in October’s Policy Roundup. We want to keep the momentum […]

EWCO: Changes to Environmental Stewardship agreements

Members should be aware of some recent amendments to Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements in relation to the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO). These amendments come after the collective work of Defra, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Natural England and the Forestry Commission. See below an update from the Forestry Commission on these amendments.     […]

Defra announce Tree Health pilot

Announced on 31 August, the Government’s Tree Health pilot will support action against pests and diseases in ash, sweet chestnut, larch and spruce trees in England. The findings from the three-year pilot scheme, delivered by the Forestry Commission, will help develop the future Tree Health scheme that is due to launch in 2024. Defra are […]

UK Research and Innovation to fund research on how trees can help reach net zero

The UK Research and Innovation public body have announced £10.5 million of funding to support research on the value of trees to people and the planet, and expanding treescapes across the UK. Six projects have been awarded funding to develop new tools and approaches for how trees and woodlands can adapt to climate change. The […]

Successful Green Recovery Challenge Fund projects announced

With £80 million available for nature conservation, recovery and nature-based solutions, the Green Recovery Challenge Fund will see the establishment of almost one million trees in England, supporting 2,500 jobs. Following on from the first round in December 2020, a further 90 projects have been successful in the second round, with grants ranging from £68,100 […]

Policy Roundup – July 2021

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 saw the first in-person meeting of the Institute team in Edinburgh which included a visit to a Forestry and Land Scotland harvesting site and some swinging through the trees at […]