5 Conclusions
45. The evidence we received
endorsed, almost without exception, the achievements of The National
Forest over the past 15 years. Those living and working locally,
as well as those visiting the area, have welcomed the economic,
social and environmental benefits that the Forest has brought.
We were pleased to receive such a positive picture of how an innovative
approach can deliver national policy objectives effectively at
a local and regional level, and we urge Defra to ensure that the
lessons learned are fully exploited across England.
46. Clearly there are challenges
to be met in continuing to create new forest at a sufficient pace
to both meet local targets and help meet national climate change
mitigation aims. The National Forest Company is well-placed to
continue to meet these challenges, in collaboration with its partners.
However, growing a forest is a long-term project and it is imperative
that national and local commitment is sustained over the decades
to come, both in terms of the relatively limited financial support
which is required, and, more significantly, to maintain the enthusiasm
and commitment of all the partners.
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