Securing the value of England’s forests - the end of the beginning

It provided one of the defining moments and earliest U-turns of the Coalition's history and now the Independent Panel on Forestry set up by the government in the wake of that row has published its final report. It provides government with the chance to turn negative headlines into positive ones if it is prepared to rise to the challenge.

The Woodland Trust welcomes the report's recommendationsaround the future securing of the public forest estate. We fully support its continued existence. We also believe that it should evolve rather than remain static with the objective of delivering more public benefit in the future. We are encouraged by Caroline Spelman's early intervention to confirm the estate will remain in public hands.

It is important to remember however that the Panel was briefed to look at forestry policy overall not just the public forest estate and we welcome the ambitious and positive recommendations it has made to drive England's woodland policy forward. In particular those around increasing woodland cover from 10-15%.

The wide experience of Panel members means it has provided some very positive foundations which government will need to build upon in its response. Not just in relation to the public forest estate but in terms of the potential of woods and trees generally. The response should be bold.

This needs to form part of a wider move away by government from seeing forests as politically dangerous and recognise that there is an enormous opportunity to deliver here on wide a range of policy agendas simultaneously from public health to carbon sequestration to food alleviation. There is a great chance to showcase the principles underpinning the Natural Environment White Paper that 'people cannot flourish without the benefits and services our natural environment provides'.

Woods and trees are particularly good at delivering those benefits and services but with woodland cover in England at 10% - amongst the very lowest in Europe- creating new woods in the right places needs to be a top priority.

The government has stated that it has an ambition for a major increase in the area of woodland in England. Projects like the Woodland Trust's Jubilee Woodsare showing that an ambitious approach to woodland creation can be delivered on the ground and can bring together a diverse range of interests to achieve common goals.

Protecting and restoring irreplaceable ancient woods - which cover only 2% of England - should also be a top priority. At a time when Natural Capital and the prevention of deforestation are high on the international environmental agenda then securing the very best of our own forest resource and placing it on a sustainable footing for the future should be a high priority.

Government needs to re-connect with the public on forests by harnessing that interest shown around the time of the proposed sell off in a positive way. This means engaging them in the development of an ambitious new forestry strategy for England.

The different strands within forestry - economic, social and environmental deliver right across all three aspects of sustainable development. Government now needs to show leadership in bringing them together, stimulating and incentivising delivery. An ambitious approach to woodland creation is an opportunity for government to grasp. If it does so the potential is enormous and savings to the public purse and public benefit can be delivered simultaneously.

Great good can come of what was once a crisis if government acts decisively and shows that it takes forestry seriously.