Forest renaissance - The role of state forestry in Britain ... - WWF UK

FOREST RENAISSANCE • THE ROLE OF STATE FORESTRY IN BRITAIN 1919-2050: A DISCUSSION PAPERSummary of key findings andconclusionsThe state forest lands of England,Scotland and Wales are ideally placed todeliver desired multiple benefits fromforest management in the most costeffectiveway. The establishment of threenew country-focused public sectorwoodland agencies will provide a uniqueopportunity to inject new stimulus andmomentum into the management of stateforests for public benefits.The British public has shown anoverwhelming wish for forests and woodlandsto supply more than just timber, and theirsocial and environmental importance isrecognised: access, recreation, conservation,soil protection and supply of non-timberforest products. The Westminster Parliament,the National Assembly for Wales and theScottish Executive all agree that we need ahigh-quality forest estate to fulfil many globaltreaty commitments such as the Conventionon Biological Diversity and the FrameworkConvention on Climate Change.Private and company-owned forests can helpto supply these wider goods and services. Butcommercial forestry operations cannot beresponsible for all non-timber benefits, manyof which conflict with wood and fibreproduction. The state-owned forest estate isthe most effective and efficient vehicle todeliver many of the multiple benefits fromforests.In the past, state forestry has drawn criticismfrom environmental groups and localcommunities, particularly for its reliance onlarge conifer plantations. Our analysis showsthat Forest Enterprise, as manager of theForestry Commission estate, has made muchprogress towards meeting the UK’s 1992 EarthSummit commitments, including certificationof all its forests to Forest Stewardship Councilstandards, which was recognised by WWF as aGift to the Earth.We believe that these changesare not only real and substantial, but alsothat forestry ministers and the ForestryCommission should continue with moreradical changes, leading to a genuinerenaissance in the extent and quality offorests and woodlands in the threecountries.Until now, progress has been incremental andfunded largely on profits from timber sales.This requires a delicate balancing act, whichis becoming impossible to sustain at a timewhen, due to global pressures, the value ofBritish timber sales has fallen by 40 per centin just a few years. Changes in the globalmarket mean that state forests are nolonger profitable enough to support all theother activities demanded by the public andpoliticians. During our research for thisreport, we found many Forest Enterprise staffmembers feeling trapped between theconflicting demands of an organisation thatsome stakeholders see as a commercialcompany, while others view it as a not-forprofitenterprise delivering social andenvironmental benefits.A proportion of the wider benefits fromforests will continue to need state funding, asis the case with every developed country.Forest Enterprise is in the unique positionof being able to offset a substantialproportion of these costs through itsrevenue generating activities. What it needsnow is a strong and matching commitmentfrom ministers: to support the furtherdevelopment of a multi-purpose public forestestate. The three new agencies will requirenew and inspirational mandates and thenecessary resources to make the concept areality in the 21st century.“Changes in the globalmarket mean that stateforests are no longerprofitable...”5