The government has made up to £4.1 million available in grants to support domestic tree production, the Forestry Commission has announced. The Tree Production Capital Grant will help to meet statutory tree planting targets by providing extra funding to tree nurseries, seed suppliers, and those in related sectors such as natural fertiliser manufacturers.
The measures will help to lower carbon emissions and mitigate against the effect of climate change, and will also boost the supply of materials to timber frame manufacturers. This in turn will help to make the UK construction sector more eco-friendly by using more sustainable low-carbon materials and reducing the reliance on imports.
Forestry Commission Chair Sir William Worsley said: “Supporting domestic tree and tree seed production can be at the very root of growth opportunities for our sector.”
He added: “Our grants have the potential to ensure there is a reliable supply of diverse and high quality trees for future planting to the Government’s tree planting targets, improving timber security whilst boosting employment and the wider green economy. I encourage all eligible applicants to come forward to help us support the sector to grow and thrive.”
What are the tree planting targets?
Previous tree planting targets by the Conservative government failed to be met by a considerable margin. In response, the Labour government established a tree planting taskforce in 2024, with the stated aim of aligning the UK targets across four nations.
The ultimate aim is to increase the total area of woodland cover from the figure of 13 per cent in 2020 to 17-19 per cent by 2050. This would involve planting around 30,000 hectares of woodland every year.
Why have the tree planting targets been introduced?
The tree planting targets have primarily been introduced to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and lessen the devastating consequences of climate change. The extra woodland cover also helps to support biodiversity and provides opportunities for recreation in natural settings. They also support the green economy through jobs and related industries.
However, the need to boost domestic levels of timber production is also growing more imperative as wood becomes more in demand as a construction material. Timber is seen as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to carbon-intensive and non-renewable materials such as concrete and steel.
The global demand for timber is set to increase sharply as governments around the world seek to meet net zero targets and decarbonise the built environment. However, Savills reports that the UK planted just 12,960 hectares of new woodland in 2023, far short of the target of 30,000 hectares.
Therefore the government has introduced a range of measures to boost woodland cover, including the Tree Production Capital Grant. It has also introduced the Tree Production Innovation Fund, to provide funding for innovative projects that overcome barriers to domestic tree production and improve the quality, quantity and diversity of domestic timber.
New report highlights the benefits of species diversity
Elsewhere, DEFRA and Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, have published a joint report that demonstrates that greater species diversity in forests can help to support tree production.
Phys.Org reports that this is seen as a means of addressing the multiple issues of domestic timber shortages, lack of quality housing, biodiversity loss and climate change.
Dr. Ian Short, Silviculture Senior Research Officer with Teagasc, said: “Considering the mounting pressures on our forests from escalating pest and disease outbreaks and the accelerating impacts of climate change, the timing of this review is critical.”
“We recognized that while mixed species stands, especially those with broadleaves, constitute a significant portion of the forest area in Great Britain, there’s a noticeable scarcity of formal research specifically investigating their potential for timber production.”
Co-author Andrew Leslie, Head of Silviculture and Wood Properties at Forest Research, added, “The potential for increased timber productivity in these diverse forest stands can contribute to a greater supply of domestically grown wood, potentially supporting the construction sector’s growing demand for timber.”
“The increased resilience of mixed stands to climate impacts, coupled with potentially higher overall biomass production, can also play a role in climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. Additionally, the species diversity inherent in these stands supports a more complex ecosystem, which is vital for enhancing biodiversity.”
The report also emphasised the importance of diversity in woodland to mitigate against the future effects of climate change, as it becomes more uncertain which tree species will adapt best to the likely warmer and wetter climate of the future.