Memorandum by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) (TNF 05)

 

Executive summary

Defra and its predecessors have sponsored the National Forest Company since it was set up in 1995. The National Forest Company is transforming the landscape across the Midlands working towards the Government's original aim of a new 200 square mile multi-purpose forest for the nation in the heart of England . The National Forest Company has demonstrated that the National Forest Strategy's strategic outcome of a new landscape scale forest providing multiple benefits can be achieved. In doing so it is providing practical evidence of the type of forestry envisaged in the Government's Strategy for England's Trees, Woods and Forests. The National Forest Company has kept pace with the development of Government policies (e.g. on adapting to and mitigating against climate change) and has continued to add value , particularly in relation to sustainable development. The National Forest is an important resource for communities in terms of outdoor recreation, education and employment. The Changing Landscapes Scheme that enables woodland creation and all the associated benefits is key to the implementation of the National Forest Delivery Plan.

 

National Forest Company - Non-Departmental Public Body and Company Limited by Guarantee

1. The National Forest Company leads the creation of the National Forest, a new, wooded landscape for the nation across 200 square miles of central England. The National Forest Company was established as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) by the Government in April 1995 . It is sponsored by Defra which means they have received £3.3m in the current financial year through a grant in aid settlement (this was £3.6m in 2008/09. The Spending Review 2004 baseline was £4.1m but the Zero Baseline Review agreed a cut of £0.5m pa on the grounds that the Forest could still be delivered with less planting. This gave a new baseline of £3.6m).

 

2. Grant in aid is paid to the Company under Section 153 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. In addition over the last five years they have attracted £555,603 in donations and sponsorship.

3. The Company's primary function is to work with partners to deliver the Government approved National Forest Strategy 2004-2014 - the vision for the Forest. Woodland cover at the outset was at about 6% and the aim is for around a third of the area to be converted to Forest use. This is now well under way with woodland cover having increased from around 6% in 1991 to 18% in 2009, already more than 7 million trees have been planted. The Company completed a review of the National Forest Strategy in early 2009 and the revised Delivery plan, covering the period 2009-2014, was approved by the Government in March.

4. The National Forest Company has broad aims that encompass economic regeneration and embraces community participation in that process. 86% of respondees to community perceptions research said in 2008 that The National Forest has improved the local environment whilst 84% rated the standard of major sites as good or very good. The National Forest has demonstrated that it is possible to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits by intelligent landscape transformation in a defined region in a relatively short timescale. The three grant mechanisms including the Changing Landscapes Scheme that helps achieve the creation targets are important in delivering these aims. Of equal importance, is the Company's partnership working with regional and local bodies and communities, for example, in developing a sustainable tourism strategy for the National Forest.

 

5. Defra supports the National Forest Company's efforts to assist local authorities in co-ordinating and strategic master planning for Green Infrastructure as part of the two proposed Growth Areas within the Forest. This planning is essential to ensure that high quality Green Infrastructure is an integral part of those new communities and provides the widest range of economic, social and environmental benefits. The knowledge and practical experience gained by the National Forest Company in planning and developing the Forest can provide valuable expertise to the master planning process.

 

6. The National Forest Delivery Plan sets out the relationship between the National Forest Company and Defra. Defra and the National Forest Company worked together on the actions in the Delivery Plan to ensure these met Defra's national objectives on areas such as: access, recreation and sport; biodiversity; regeneration and economy; and agriculture. The Plan was endorsed by Ministers in March 2009. The Governance role of the National Forest Company was considered as part of the Review of the National Forest Strategy. There was strong support for the role of the National Forest Company to continue as outlined in the strategy and the NDPB and company status were seen to be effective., As part of the delivery plan, however, it was agreed that the National Forest Company Board and Defra would keep the Governance under review in the period to 2014.

 

7. The National Forest Company's experience of delivery is a useful testbed for Defra policies particularly in light of the recent publication of the Read Report (an assessment of the potential of the UK's trees and woodlands to mitigate and adapt to climate change), as the National Forest Company has enabled tree planting at the required scale and pace. If the drive for woodland creation pulls in new finance, the National Forest is potentially an area that could be targeted for planting and may make it easier for the National Forest target of 33% of woodland cover to be achieved. The National Forest Company's experience of working with major private sector companies to create woodlands will also provide valuable experience to Defra and the Forestry Commission in relation to delivering the recommendations in the Read Report.

8. The National Forest represents a physical demonstration of the UK's obligations to reduce atmospheric carbon. In 2004 the National Forest Company commissioned a report by the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology in order to more fully understand the implications of tree planting on mitigating the effects of environmental pollution. In the period 2008-12 the National Forest area will be absorbing carbon at the rate of 43 million kilograms a year. This is equivalent to 14% of the amount of the region's quota for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as outlined in the Kyoto agreement and 0.05% of the nation's contribution.

9. Defra considers that the National Forest Company has demonstrated that the National Forest Strategy's strategic objective of creating a new landscape scale forest with a variety of habitats providing multiple benefits at national, regional and local level can be achieved. Working with regional and local authorities, local communities and other stakeholders it is well placed to continue and to maintain and grow the forest in the remaining period of the Strategy to 2014.

 

10. Overview of forestry responsibilities in England.

11. The Committee may wish to be aware of forestry roles undertaken by Forestry Commission and Natural England.

12. The public forest estate is owned in England by the Secretary of State (Defra) and entrusted to the management of the Forestry Commission as part of its statutory duties under the Forestry Act 1967 (as amended). Forestry policy in England is set out in A Strategy for England's Trees, Woods and Forests published in June 2007.

13. There is an MOU between FC and NE to avoid duplication of effort (please see http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/MoUv1Sep05.pdf/$FILE/MoUv1Sep05.pdf).

 

January 2010