Providing a regional framework

Regional Forestry Frameworks have their origins in the national England Forestry Strategy. However the England Strategy has, by its nature, a limited ability to reflect regional needs and circumstances.

The interests and contribution of many woodland stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors operate best at a regional and sub-regional scale.

Space4trees therefore provides:

- an East Midlands approach to forestry issues which reflects national policies and objectives but which focuses on regional needs and aspirations.

- a framework for regional policy, governing not only the actions and funding priorities of the Forestry Commission but also influencing the range of stakeholders and partners with an interest in woodlands and the benefits that they deliver.

What will the framework do?

The scope of space4trees is intentionally broad, reaching beyond the traditional territory and relationships of the ‘woodland and forestry sector’ and making links in new areas of opportunity and challenge. It highlights the importance of trees and woods from major forests to farm woodlands and the trees in our street and parks.

The priorities that have been identified by space4trees require action on the part of a range of different stakeholders. It is not intended to tell individual land owners, agencies or voluntary organisations what to do or where to do it. It is about agreeing priorities for future action and securing a commitment to our shared role in delivering change.

Timescale

As a strategic framework Space4trees can only operate over a relatively short time-scale of 10-15 years. However woodland owners and managers must constantly balance the woodland management needs of today with positive actions and investments that may take many decades to bear fruit.

Similarly the impacts of climate change and other environmental pressures may take many years to become apparent, but if we wait for this to happen then, for many sites it will already be too late.

Space4trees seeks to influence the direction of travel for trees and woodland policy in the region in a way which secures their future for the long term.