The restructured England Forestry Commission (FC) was officially launched yesterday.
Its headquarters remain in Bristol, but instead of 11 districts, the remodelled organisation now comprises six and its grants, licensing and wider woodland advisory service works across five areas instead of nine regions.
The FC said that much of its new structure was already in place, but that its new “administrative hubs” would be developed over the next year. The process, it acknowledged, would mean some customers and partners having to deal with new offices and new people.
The restructuring has been brought about by the decision of Defra to cut “resource” and capital spending by 29% and 34% respectively by 2015.
FC chief executive Simon Hodgson said it had been the greatest period of change for the organisation in its 90-year history.
“We keep our core responsibilities to protect, expand and improve England’s woodlands and will do things that only government should do,” he said. “Now that we’re smaller and often working across larger areas, it also means focusing efforts where they’re really going to count.”
