asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs, Barry Gardiner, on 1 February 2007 (HC Deb, 462–3W), whether there is a common plan across government and the devolved administrations that accounts for the decline in Planting of new woodland from 2001 onwards in each of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. [HL2852]
Forestry is a devolved matter and each country is responsible for its own forestry policies and the mechanisms for implementing them. Details of these polices have been published in the country strategies.
In England A Strategy for England's Trees Woods and Forests was published in June 2007, replacing the 1998 England Forestry Strategy.
In Scotland The Scottish Forestry Strategy was published in October 2006, replacing the strategy published in 2000.
In Wales Woodland for Wales was published in 2001.
In Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Forestry - A Strategy for Sustainability and Growth was published in March 2006.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs, Barry Gardiner, on 1 February 2007 (HC Deb, 462–3W), why new planting of woodland in England has fallen from 700 hectares in 2002 to 200 in 2006; and whether this decline continued in 2007. [HL2853]
The figures given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs were for conifer planting only. The total area of new woodland created in England from 2002 to 2007 is given in the table below.
Year ending 31 March Conifers Broadleaves Total 2002 0.7 4.7 5.4 2003 0.5 5.4 5.9 2004 0.2 4.4 4.6 2005 0.2 5.1 5.3 2006 0.1 3.6 3.7 2007 0.1 3.1 3.2
The decline in new planting is due to a number of factors including the implementation of the response to the 2002 Sustaining England's Woodlands review. This included the introduction of the new English woodland grant scheme in 2005, which placed increased emphasis on the sustainable management of existing woodland rather than the creation of new woodland.
The Rural Development Programme for England (2007-2013), which includes support for woodland creation through the English woodland grant scheme has an annual target of 2,200 hectares of new woodland.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs, Barry Gardiner, on 1 February 2007 (HC Deb, 462–3W), whether the figures for restocking of woodland in England include tress knocked down when land is developed, those felled by storms and those felled as part of normal forestry activities. [HL2854]
The restocking figures given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs were only for conifer restocking. These figures, which include areas restocked by natural regeneration, are for the commission's own land and the area of woodland receiving grant aid from the Forestry Commission. This area would include land that had been restocked after clearance of windblown trees and cleared through normal harvesting activities.