Deer management and sustainable timber: our responses
We have submitted responses to the Defra consultation on the proposed Deer Management Strategy and the Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry into Sustainable Timber and Deforestation.
Defra consultation on the proposed Deer Management Strategy
Our response listed five key points. We are calling for effective, landscape-scale co-ordination of deer management. This requires a strategy that works in tandem with policies relating to the management and regulation of other vertebrate species. It also requires better understanding of the different ecological niches occupied by the six resident deer species found wild within England.
We broadly support the creation of a National Deer Data Dashboard to provide sound evidence base. It must be easily accessible to a wide range of stakeholders.
The Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry into Sustainable timber and Deforestation
Our response listed five key issues. It referenced our reports into Managing for Resilience and additional case studies.
We expect demand for timber to continue to grow over the medium and longer term. This will be driven in part by the replacement of unsustainable materials with timber products.
Greater use of diverse tree species is needed to adapt our woodlands to climate change. This requires further research and Government intervention to encourage the use of more species.
We also urge greater focus on getting more woods into management. This would relatively easy step to improve woodland contribution to tackling climate change and biodiversity loss.
