We have finally woken up to the need to expand the amount of woodland cover we have in the United Kingdom and particularly England – some might say “not before time”.
On the face of it, you would think that this would be music to the ears of Grown in Britain and our supporters, however, the music must be in tune with future needs and not fail to deliver, as much historic planting has sadly done.
New woodlands need to be in tune with climate change, the needs of society and the natural pressures that inevitably stack up because land is limited and in high demand.
We know from the past that our record of expansion is tainted by a poor record of maintenance, of course not everywhere but in enough places for it to be a major concern.
Fit for The Future
We owe it to the taxpayer, the public and corporate investors to ensure that this new wave of expansion we are about to embark upon delivers quality woodlands for all and forever. Trees species must be varied and fit for the future, maintenance must be long term and include the rigorous control of pests.
Those of you observing the comments from Grown in Britain over recent years will know that we have pressed very hard to bring more woods into management, to replace unnecessary imports and to enhance the biodiversity and other benefits that well managed woods provide.
Grown in Britain is putting its money where its mouth is on this front and is developing a verification scheme for exemplary new woodlands; a future-proof design with long-term high quality maintenance no matter what the objectives are.
This new scheme will be launched in Grown in Britain week which starts on October 12. The week also includes a fabulous line up for this year’s Forestry Conference held with the Forestry Commission and the CLA on October 14. Contact enquiries@ growninbritain.org to book your place.
Turning to products, as we leave the European Union and adjust our trading in timber products, Grown in Britain’s proof of origin becomes vital to reduce tariffs. As the English Tree Strategy consultation highlights, we need to address our reliance on so much imported timber and especially added value products.
Changes in product trading also highlights the continued and serious risk of importing unwanted pests and diseases into the UK and one of the biggest risks involves the importation of plants and plant material.
The Plant Healthy biosecurity scheme was opened for business in 2020 and several large tree nurseries and plant trade businesses are now certified as meeting robust biosecurity standards.
To join them or to find out more contact enquiries@growninbritain.org.
In these strange times, it is reassuring to know that the value of trees, woods and forests and their amazing materials has remained a constant and indeed the importance of buying locally has never been more valued.
