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

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FOREST RENAISSANCE • THE ROLE OF STATE FORESTRY IN BRITAIN 1919-2050: A DISCUSSION PAPER“Listening to people:implementing activeplans for communityengagement...”“Urban renewal:developing newcommunity woodlandsclose to people living indisadvantagedcommunities withdespoiled landscapes.”Some key 21st century challenges for thenew public forest agencies• Forest restoration at a landscape scale:work with partners to contribute to anincrease in forest cover to at least 15 percent of Britain’s land area, with a minimumtarget of 30 per cent for some localities,including 10 major new forest landscapesin England along with a greatercontribution to Community Forests; morecommunity forests on derelict land inSouth Wales; and a major role in thedevelopment of state forests within theCentral Scotland Forest and around othermajor urban areas, along with a furtherextension of native woodlands.• A consensus approach: developingparticipatory approaches that help agree abalance between different land uses withina landscape, in partnership with both localand more distant interest groups, torecreate and maintain high-quality forestedlandscapes throughout England, Scotlandand Wales including both forest and nonforesthabitats. Partnerships might alsofacilitate the production of larger grantpackaging through combined projects andmatched funds, thus creating the resourcesneeded to make vision into reality.• Recreating “a wilderness experience”:building up large core areas of open access,near to nature, woodland (up to andsometimes exceeding 10,000 hectares) inEngland, Scotland and Wales comprising amosaic of woodland and other habitatsserviced by appropriate access andinterpretation opportunities to facilitatelearning and healthy lifestyles, includingwhere appropriate conversion ofplantations to more natural woodlands. Akey target for biodiversity conservation isto move away from isolated protected sitestowards networks of protected areas,buffer zones and corridors.• Listening to people: implementing activeplans for community engagement, andaspiring to become “partners of firstchoice” for key projects.• Reconnecting people to woodland: bytaking a leading role through innovativeand exciting developments incommunication, interpretation, education,access and recreation opportunities, aimingto reconnect, re-establish and developpeople’s spiritual and cultural links withwoodlands.• Supporting a sustainable ruraleconomy: developing strategies to ensurethe sustainability of harvest of minorforest products including innovation in useof different timbers and in the design ofproducts, development of wood as anenergy source, recreational uses andencouragement of multi-purpose woodlandmanagement.• Urban renewal: developing newcommunity woodlands close to peopleliving in disadvantaged communities withdespoiled landscapes.• Sustainable leisure and recreationaldevelopment: creating innovative,integrated and sustainable recreationalopportunities and leisure facilities in woodsand forests, which provide a wholespectrum of wellbeing, spiritual and healthbenefits to local residents and visitors.• Beyond certification: providing aleadership role in promoting forestcertification at the national level,increasing the access to and uptake ofcredible certification by small forestowners, and also looking beyondcertification to how forest managementmight continue to improve in the future.6
FOREST RENAISSANCE • THE ROLE OF STATE FORESTRY IN BRITAIN 1919-2050: A DISCUSSION PAPERWhy do we need a ForestRenaissance?Why forests?Forests supply us with more than just timberand fibre. Well-managed, healthy forests alsoprovide biodiversity conservation, soilstabilisation, hydrological functions,mitigation of climate change, employment,livelihood opportunities, health and spiritualwellbeing, leisure and recreational space, andcultural and aesthetic values.We start from a weak position. Britain hasundergone deforestation over many centuries:most natural forests have long disappearedand we depend on imports for more than 80per cent of timber needs. Although largeforests were re-established in the 20thcentury, we remain one of the least forestedEuropean countries, and many forests areactually plantations of non-native species. Yetthere is a real potential to change. Over amillion hectares – more than a third of ourforests – are owned by the state in England,Scotland and Wales, and managed by ForestEnterprise. FE was established in the year ofthe Earth Summit, making it uniquely placedto implement Britain’s forest commitmentsand develop a new vision and reality for ourforest estate and its wider place in ruralsociety.This paper follows the decision by ministersto establish new devolved arrangements forthe management of state woods and forestsin England, Scotland and Wales. This will seethe creation of three new ForestryCommission agencies with new devolvedremits during 2003. This paper seeks toexplore what state forestry has achieved sincethe 1992 Earth Summit and how the newagencies could respond to a new agenda forthe delivery of truly sustainable state forestswhich better meet the needs of people in the21st century.What did we commit to atand beyond the firstEarth Summit?In Rio, governments committed to sustainabledevelopment that included reversingenvironmental degradation. The Summitrecognised that forests are central todevelopment, with more than a billion peopledepending directly on timber and non-timberforest products. The Forest Principles and theAgenda 21 strategy agreed in Rio laid out stepsto integrate forests into sustainabledevelopment. Countries responded byestablishing programmes of their own,reflecting particular circumstances and needs.The Convention on Biological Diversity requiresgovernments to develop national biodiversitystrategies and action plans. In 2002 partiesadopted a forest action programme, includingapplying the ecosystem approach tomanagement, mitigating impacts of climatechange, restoring degraded forests andprotecting threatened species. The FrameworkConvention on Climate Change promotesrenewable energy and the sustainablemanagement and enhancement of sinks forgreenhouse gases, including forests. Theassociated Kyoto Protocol allows someoffsetting of emissions through absorption ofcarbon dioxide by forests.Specifically, Britain is committed to:• Strengthen institutions• Provide multiple goods and servicesfrom forests• Take care of the wider environment• Protect and restore biodiversity• Conserve and enhance landscape andheritage• Provide recreational opportunities• Strengthen demand for forest products• Facilitate rural development• Raise awareness and understanding andtransfer know-how“Over a million hectares– more than a third ofour forests – are ownedby the state...”7
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Forest renaissance - The role of state forestry in Britain ... - WWF UK

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