Here we summarise our core beliefs, arranged by our three main activities: science, education and forestry.
Key facts and figures are included to illustrate the challenges and opportunities that we believe forestry faces in the 21st Century.



We believe that undertaking independent research and working in partnership with the scientific community will contribute positively to forestry's vision and direction in England and beyond

1. practical involvement and demonstration in applied research for forestry professionals, the public and young people will foster deeper understanding.
2. facilitating an independent forestry think-tank, comprising cross-sectoral expertise, will advance independent strategic and policy research, and be effective in promoting findings to stakeholders.
3. dissemination and promotion of research findings to a wide range of stakeholders is crucial for the promotion sustainable forest management.

---

back to top ^

We believe that greater understanding of, and engagement with, trees and woodlands by the general public, especially young people, will support many social benefits and help secure a sustainable future for our woodland resource.

1. involving local people in planning, managing and using local woodlands and the urban tree resource will help achieve cohesive communities and help individuals understand and contribute towards environmental sustainability.
2. improving understanding and access to woodlands will benefit all people, especially the young, by promoting physical and mental health, learning and personal development.

We believe that supporting training and outreach for those who care for trees and woodlands will ensure best practise and underpin the delivery of sustainable forest management

1. fostering professional competence will improve the ability of the forestry sector to respond effectively to opportunities and threats.
2. assisting the sector to inform people about the importance of trees, woodlands and wood products in supporting a modern carbon-lean society and responding to environmental change.

---

back to top ^

We believe that local and regional timber markets will deliver public benefits through reduced wood miles and will support rural economic development, and will incentivise woodland management

1. England represents about 90% of apparent wood consumption in the UK yet only 7% of this is derived from home-grown supplies.
2. 960,000 tones of hardwoods are imported into the UK every year.
3. only 40% of the annual growth in England’s forests is currently utilised.

We believe that well managed woods will, where appropriate, bring many public benefits including increased biodiversity, landscape character and enhanced social inclusion. More emphasis on economic drivers is needed to promote sustainable woodland management.

1. given that 82% of the woodland resource is in private hands, public-funding alone is not a sustainable way forward to ensure delivery of public good.
2. Government financial incentives are a blunt tool for delivering public benefit: over half a million hectares of forest in England are currently unmanaged.
3. lack of woodland management has been linked with declining woodland birds, butterflies and vascular plants.
4. well managed woodlands are more likely to provide a robust resource resilient to climate change, and more capable of supporting ecosystem service delivery.