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Forestry policy & CPD roundup — January 2026

January 16, 2026

Welcome to the first policy update of the year. This month we look back at the last quarter of 2025 and focus on key developments shaping forestry and land use policy, upcoming consultations, CPD events, and opportunities for member engagement.

Headline Updates

Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025

The UK Government published its overarching Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, which sets out a broader framework for nature and climate action across the UK. It reaffirms tree and woodland creation as a priority, aiming to expand woodland and tree cover, strengthen nature recovery and guide future action planning.

Key forestry components include:

Retaining the statutory target for England’s 16.5% woodland/treescape cover by 2050

Introducing an interim goal — 43,000 hectares of additional tree & woodland cover by 2030 — to push progress in this decade

Exploring financial innovations such as a Woodland Carbon Purchase Fund and improved incentives for new woodlands via schemes like the UK Woodland Carbon Code

Priorities to better support productive timber forests, boosting the share of conifers planted.

A more detailed “Trees Action Plan” is anticipated in Spring to translate these goals into concrete delivery commitments and funding details.

Woodland statistics & planting trends (2024–25)

Forest Research released Forestry Facts and Figures 2025, showing:

UK woodland area was ~3.29 million ha as of March 2025 (~13.5% of land area)

Over 15,500 hectares of new woodland planted in 2024–25 across the UK.

These figures provide an evidence base against household targets and inform future policy discussions.

Tree-planting rate: England up, UK mixed results

Official figures show that tree planting in England increased by ~27% in 2024–25 compared to 2023–24, including growth in productive conifer planting — a key element for future timber security.

Despite this regional rise, independent analysis and sector commentary highlight overall UK tree-planting rates lagging behind ambitious national goals, and total new tree cover falling short of the pace required to meet longer-term targets.

Forestry England strategy & projects

Forestry England (the public body managing ~1,500 forests) launched a new resilience strategy (Nov 2025) to protect forests from climate pressures, pests/diseases and biodiversity loss. This science-led plan prioritises diversified, resilient woodland and public access.

Recent project highlights include:

Completion of a 1.8 million-tree woodland creation programme, adding 16 new woodlands across England (2021–25)

Extended partnership work (with DPD) to restore forests and improve biodiversity, e.g., ancient woodland restoration and SSSI enhancements (Dec 2025)

Pilot expansion of the Forest of Dean — its first addition in over 200 years — with large-scale planting underway as winter 2025 approaches

Industry perspective on timber security

Forestry sector leaders and agencies are increasingly emphasising the need for domestic timber production, noting concerns over heavy reliance on imports and the need to rebalance planting towards productive conifers alongside biodiversity goals.

New National Forest in Oxford-Cambridge Corridor

Defra has launched an Expression of Interest process for delivery partners to create England’s second new national forest in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor. This initiative will bring millions of trees closer to communities and create green jobs. Deadline for EOIs: 30 January 2026.

Nature Restoration Fund: early information for nature markets and the wider sector

The Planning and Infrastructure Act is a key part of the government’s plan to secure sustained economic growth and get Britain building again. Defra has published the Nature Restoration Fund Implementation Plan - this is part of the Act which will drive the recovery of protected sites and species whilst supporting the acceleration of house building and infrastructure. 

Institute news

Institute signs joint letters to new UK Government ministers

In November 2025 and following the Cabinet reshuffle, the Environmental Policy Forum (EPF) wrote to the recently appointed Secretaries of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; and Housing, Communities and Local Government, Emma Reynolds MP and Steve Reed MP, respectively. The Institute is one of 15 member bodies that make up EPF network of UK environmental professional bodies promoting environmental sustainability and resilience for the public benefit. You can view a copy of our open letters below.

Letter to Emma Reynolds MP

Letter to Steve Reed MP

Special Interest Groups

Our five Special Interest Groups (SIGs) continue to meet quarterly. The groups are busy planning and delivering #MembersHour, webinars, TREES articles and in-person CPD events.  Since the last Roundup, a range of CPD activities are confirmed for 2026. Check the our website for upcoming events.

Further SIGs

We are working with members to develop two further Special Interest Groups:

International Knowledge Exchange SIG

Silviculture SIG

We will be inviting members to join these groups in due course.

#MembersHour, webinars & workshops

We try to organise a good range of #MembersHours, webinars and workshops, both in terms of geographic spread and subject matter, to ensure all sectors within our diverse membership are represented. #MembersHour, webinars and workshops run since the last Roundup were as follows:

2 October – Trees, Planning & Construction

16 October – Getting to our Roots: Exploring the Impact of Tree Roots on Archaeology

6 November – Britain’s Tree Nurseries: What the Strong Roots Project Told Us

20 November – Data Standards in Forestry

4 December – Ecological Constraints on Harvesting Sites

Recordings of #MembersHour are available in the library section of the Members Area.

Please feel free to get in touch if you have ideas for future #MembersHour sessions.

Resilient Silvicultural for the Future webinar series

We are planning a series of six webinars in collaboration with Forest Research that will commence in March 2026. The webinars will cover a range of subject areas including building resilience to climate change; pests and diseases; species diversity, species mixes and structural diversity; the role of silviculture in creating more resilient forests; priorities for climate change; alternatives to traditional planting; barriers to implementing alternative silviculture systems; and the future impact of drought.

Future regional (Member Network) & national events during 2026

We have a full calendar of regional and national events for 2026. Check the our website for upcoming events.

Forestry

Forestry is available exclusively online and is free to all members. Click here to access the Forestry journal Archive at Oxford University Press.

Public sector engagement

We continue to build upon the strong relationship we have with DAERA, Defra, Forestry England, Forest Research, Forestry Commission, Forestry and Land Scotland, Natural Resources Wales, and Scottish Forestry. Please feel free to get in touch if there is anything you would like us to address on your behalf.

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 here.

We have responded to the following consultations since the last Roundup:

Circular Economy Strategy consultation – Scottish Government, January 2026. Read our response

Consultation on the setting of Northern Ireland’s Fourth Carbon Budget (2038-2042) – Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, November 2025. Read our response

Scotland’s Fourth Land Use Strategy: Consultation – Scottish Government, October 2025. Read our response.

Public Consultation on Northern Ireland’s draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027 – DAERA, October 2025. Read our response.

Planning Obligations and Good Neighbour Agreements: Draft Guidance – Scottish Government, September 2025. Read our response.

We are encouraging members to respond to:

Draft Climate Change Plan – Scottish Government

Deadline: 29 January 2026

This draft Climate Change Plan includes the policies and proposals that Scotland needs to end its contribution to increasing global emissions and deliver real benefits for people across Scotland – warmer homes, better air quality, and the health benefits of active travel – to support people in communities to live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Please respond online by 29 January 2026.

Proposed UKWAS 4.10.1 Amendment (game release pens) – UKWAS

Deadline: 16 February 2026

Stakeholders can now make comment on a proposed amendment to UKWAS 5 requirements for game-release pens. Following stakeholder concerns, the UKWAS steering group had charged its revision working group with the task of reviewing and, if thought fit, amending requirement 4.10.1.

Please submit comments to ukwas@ukwas.org.uk by 16 February 2026.

Common biomass sustainability framework – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Deadline: 27 February 2026

This consultation is seeking views on the development of a common biomass sustainability framework, which includes proposals for strengthening existing biomass sustainability criteria in line with latest evidence as well as improvements to current monitoring, reporting and verification practices, and sets out guiding principles for addressing non-compliance. It aims to provide a consistent view on biomass sustainability across all relevant bioenergy sectors.

We will be submitting a response and seek members input. Please send comments to our Technical Policy Manager, Caroline Harrison MICFor, by 6 February.

Please also respond online by 27 February 2026.

National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system – Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Deadline: 10 March 2026

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking views on how they might revise national planning policy to support wider objectives. This consultation invites views on significant structural improvements to the Framework, so that for the first time there is a clear set of separate policies for both plan-making and decision-making.

We will be submitting a response and seek members input. Please send comments to our Technical Policy Manager, Caroline Harrison MICFor, by 20 February.

Please also respond online by 10 March 2026.

Position paper

We will be developing a position paper on woodland creation for timber as essential national infrastructure, delivering climate mitigation, housing and industrial strategy objectives while supporting nature recovery and rural growth. We will be convening a small Task and Finish group. If you are interested in participating in the group, please get in touch.