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Witness evidence to the EFRA Tree Planting and Woodlands Committee

“There needs to be a huge amount of investment allocated right now to fund skills.”

By Wendy Necar · July 20, 2021

So said Royal Forestry Society Development Manager Jen Turner giving evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee on Tree Planting and Woodlands.

The committee, chaired by Neil Parish MP on 15 June 2021, was hearing  evidence on whether the Government’s timetable for hitting its tree planting targets within the England Trees Action Plan (ETAP) is achievable.

Jen Turner joined Shireen Chambers, Executive & Technical Director, Institute of Chartered Foresters and David Sutherland, Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport, Buckinghamshire Council on one witness panel answering questions on:

  • whether ETAP incorporates the right measures to support agriculture and farming to deliver the tree planting targets;
  • how far it goes to address skills shortages;
  • what practical measures are needed to ensure the phrase ‘right tree in the right place’ comes to fruition;
  • shortcomings in funding for management of existing woodlands; and
  • how far ETAP goes to addressing barriers to expanding urban trees and street trees

An earlier witness panel had included Caroline Ayres, England National Manager, Confor; Brian Fraser, Board Member and Member of Tree & Hedging Group, Horticultural Trades Association and  Hamish Macleod, Public Affairs Advisor, BSW Timber Group

Watch the committee here:

https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/2bdab310-89d3-48db-bfca-b588571cf650