GSD0061
Written evidence submitted by The Forest of Marston Vale
Executive Summary
Recommendations
Introduction
England’s Community Forests (CF’s) were designated by Government in the early 1990’s and collectively CF’s are the largest environmental regeneration initiative in England. Each is a partnership involving local authorities, regional and national partners including Forestry Commission, Environment Agency, Natural England and the local community.
Since inception, England’s Community Forests have;
Twelve CF’s were originally designated, of these ten remain in place they have been joined by a further four community forest initiatives to give a current national partnership of fourteen organisations working together as England’s Community Forests.
The Natural Capital Committee Report 2015 identified the environmental importance of planting large areas of new woodland in and around our towns and cities, determining net societal benefits of over £500m per annum.
1 There are many areas of natural capital, but this written submission covers creating new tree and woodland cover. Woodland creation particularly near urban centres and the planting of trees in streets, offers a combination of carbon store, a way to slow and reduce the transfer of rainwater run-off into watercourses, helps to cool urban areas & improves air quality. Areas of greenspace for recreation and relaxation will increasingly be at a premium for those in urban areas; UK population growth is forecast to rise from 65m to 71m by 2030.
2 The original and still valid role of CF’s is to deliver a comprehensive package of urban, economic and social regeneration by creating high-quality environments through working with local communities. The work improves the local environmental quality and therefore people’s wellbeing. Delivery provides ‘whole-place low-carbon solutions’; encouraging active travel, reducing energy use, adapting areas to projected climate change and providing opportunities for increased use of biomass.
3 The Forest Partnerships actively engage communities, helping to connect people to the natural environment providing opportunities for volunteering, land stewardship, new businesses and job creation plus new openings for leisure, recreation & healthy living. Significant biodiversity benefits are being achieved and increasingly new woodland assets are being used by schools, colleges and universities for education.
4 Community Forests have been active in creating new woodland in and around towns, focussed on some of the most deprived areas of the UK. Our survey shows that over 90% of people support the Community Forest in their area, with over 64% saying their local environment has improved as a result of the Community Forest work. Community Forests are critical elements of green infrastructure in and around towns and cities, helping to address the loss of natural capital i.e. Liverpool’s Framework .
What key policies are needed over the course of this Parliament to adequately protect the environment, promote growth in the low carbon sector and improve wellbeing?
5 Governments stated policy is to increase woodland cover, however it is highly likely that England is deforesting (Woodland Trust report), applying to urban forest as well as more widely in rural areas. Rather than new policy, we suggest that the Independent Forestry Panel be recalled to look into the state of deforestation and Government to instigate a rapid deployment of existing policy and resources to safeguard our trees and woodland creation.
6 There is a lack of clarity about the national policy lead for Community Forestry. In particular urban trees and woodland appear to have fallen between previous CLG ‘ownership’ and current Forestry Commission arrangements. This puts previous investments at risk and reduces influence on new policy and strategy at national level.
7 The role of Community Forests should be strengthened within National Planning Policy to enable enhanced levels of targeted woodland creation in and around our towns and cities in line with the Natural Capital Committee recommendations. This also achieves one of the priority actions set out in the NHS Heat Wave Plan.
8 There remains a policy gap between DEFRA and the Department of Health, around the role of the environment and health, or more specifically whose responsibility it is to optimise environmental assets to safeguard and improve health. A clear policy lead needs to be identified and a national framework developed, to enable better use of the natural environment to safeguard and enhance health & wellbeing.
Does the Government’s current fiscal and legislative agenda accord with the action required and, if not, why not and where might it be improved?
9 No. Current fiscal and legislative arrangements relegate Community Forestry and the wider issue of green infrastructure, only as an optional ‘nice to have’ extra in infrastructure planning. Despite reassurances that the long term aspiration of government is to increase natural capital and connect people to nature, there has been a widening of the gulf between investment decisions and improvements to natural capital.
10 The sole focus on biodiversity in the delivery of some government policy is often too simplistic. Ecosystems services, green infrastructure and natural capital approaches, all point to the need to look at multifunctionality, to take opportunities where they arise to improve biodiversity and in particular to improve environmental quality (including biodiversity) in and around towns and cities.
Where should responsibility lie in Government for ensuring the sustainable development approach is adopted by all Government departments?
11 There is a lack of clarity regarding the national policy lead for Community Forestry. In particular urban trees and woodland appear to have fallen between previous CLG ‘ownership’ and current Forestry Commission arrangements. This puts previous investments at risk and reduces the influence on new policy and strategy at the national level.
12 Responsibility and accountability should lie with Treasury, with reporting by all departments. Devolved powers to LNPs or other regional bodies should require action, audit, evaluation and reporting of natural capital flow to Treasury as part of the national accounts. Resources should be deployed at the local level, including Community Forests to safeguard and enhance Natural Capital, supported by government departments and resources.
What metrics could the Committee use to monitor the Government’s performance on sustainable development over the course of the Parliament?
13 The Treasury Green Book should be amended to take better account of the role of the natural environment. The Natural Capital Committee have made a number of suggestions which we consider sensible and achiveable to monitor sustaianble development.
14 The founding basis for Community Forests is a Government-backed Forest Plan. These Plans provide a long-term vision of landscape-scale transformation in and around towns and cities across England. Plans are embedded in many plans and strategies, including Local Plans, and have links to national policy through the National Planning Policy Statement, England’s Forest Policy and the Environment White Paper. However, there is evidence that the major gains in environmental quality and quality of life are being lost or have the potential to be lost as the local and national focus on Community Forests is reduced.