Executive Director meets natural and built environment CEOs
After a pledge for more collaboration between professional institute’s at the Trees, People and the Built Environment 4 conference at the start of the year, our Executive Director, Shireen Chambers MBE FICFor, has attended a six monthly meeting with CEOs from the natural and built environment sectors. Shireen was joined by Sue Morgan from the […]
Award showcases the best climate-adapted woodlands in England ahead of COP26
Rapid environmental change seriously threatens the health of our trees and woods. Now five award winning woodlands in England are being held up as outstanding examples of adaptation to climate change. The Perridge Estate near Exeter and the Morton Hall Estate near Retford jointly won the All-England Woodland Resilience Award for Existing Woodlands. They both […]
Policy Roundup – October 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 In early October we published a position paper on the skills crisis in forestry which needs urgent action. We sent it to ministers across […]
Phytophthora pluvialis reported in Cornwall
The fungus-like pathogen, Phytophthora pluvialis, was first discovered in Oregon, USA in 2013. It is associated with a variety of species, having been known to affect western hemlock, tanoak, pine and Douglas-fir trees. In September 2021, the pathogen was found in Cornwall where it was affecting mature western hemlock and Douglas-fir trees. Phytophthora pluvialis is […]
Consultation opens on UKWAS 5 Second Revision Draft
Stakeholders are now being invited to comment on the Second Revision Draft of UKWAS 5. The consultation draft has been prepared by a chamber-balanced working group reflecting economic, environmental and social interests taking full account of stakeholder input. Chair of the working group and Institute Fellow, Peter Wilson FICFor, said: “We had fantastic feedback from […]
Forest Research publish 2021 statistics on the sector
According to Forest Research’s Forestry Facts & Figures 2021 report, the total woodland area in the UK has increased by 23,000 hectares since 2020. The publication includes UK statistics on woodland cover, timber and wood products, imports and exports, economics, employment, woodland visits, international comparisons and the environment. Woodland area in the UK is […]
New Institute representative for tree health appointed
We were delighted to appoint Tom Jenkins FICFor as the ICF representative on the Defra Tree Health Policy Group (THPG) last month. Tom is Head of Forest Research in Wales. Historically there has been little formal communication but the group is engaging more widely and openly and through this we are communicating more with members, […]
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. […]
Policy Roundup – September 2021
Our monthly policy and research blog updates you on the latest work at the Institute and how you can get involved. Institute News Consultation Responses It has been a busy month for policy at the Institute. We published responses to the UKFS review key stakeholder consultation, Scottish Government’s consultation on Delivering Economic Transformation and DAERA’s […]
Help shape the plant biosecurity strategy for Great Britain
A consultation was launched on 21 September 2021 to inform a new plant biosecurity strategy for Great Britain. This GB-wide consultation is directly relevant to anyone who has an interest in, and responsibility towards, plant health. With increasing pressure on trees and woodlands to mitigate the climate and nature crises, there are also unprecedented threats […]