13:28 Paddy Tipping (Sherwood) (Lab)

It is important to recognise that during the 18 years between 1992 and now there have been major changes in thinking. At one time woodland cover was regarded as an additional extra, a luxury, the icing on the cake and something nice to have. But it has become clear in recent years that woodland policy is vital in delivering many of our mainstream policies. Let me give some examples, starting with the most pressing issue: climate change goals of mitigation and adaptation.

“well-targeted woodland creation can also bring about other benefits, including a recreational resource, employment opportunities, flood alleviation, improvements in water quality, and helping to adapt our landscapes to climate change by linking habitats to support wildlife”.

Secondly, we must target tree-planting. Work by the Woodland Trust shows that 85 per cent. of the population do not live within walking distance of a wood. However, 91 per cent. of people think that woodlands are good things for the environment and can help us to mitigate climate change. According to the Campaign to Protect Rural England, 79 per cent. of people want more trees planted around towns and cities. We must set targets in partnership with local authorities to ensure that we build towards that target of doubling our woodland cover over the years.

I am delighted with the work of the Woodland Trust and I have great admiration for the work of the Forestry Commission. However, let us be clear: if we are to combat climate change, lift the landscape and enhance the environment, an essential tool must be new, native woodland cover. The time for talking has ended; there is a consensus that we need to go forward. The Minister has always been extremely helpful to me, and I ask him to come and join that campaign, help us to create a new Sherwood forest and help the Woodland Trust and others to do what is good for the environment, good for sustainability and good for the future. Let us double woodland cover in the UK in 50 years’ time.

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13:45 The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Jim Fitzpatrick)

Let us turn to the issue at hand, which is that of creating native woodland cover. As my hon. Friend mentioned, the Read report, published last November, gave us a better understanding of UK forestry’s potential to help tackle climate change. The report is an independent, expert assessment of current scientific knowledge about UK forests and how they can help us to mitigate the effects of climate change.

When my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs launched the report, he was clear that we need to plant a large number of trees over the next 40 years to tackle climate change and help bring down our carbon emissions, as well as addressing the biodiversity issues mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood.

The Government are determined to create a step change in domestic woodland creation, and we are currently working with the Forestry Commission, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and other bodies to find out how else we can stimulate more private sector investment in woodlands. DEFRA and the Forestry Commission are clear about the range of policies that woodland delivers. Trees are not only part of our green infrastructure, but they also play an increasingly important role in our towns and cities. Work by Manchester university suggests that increasing green coverage, particularly the tree canopy, in high density urban areas by only 10 per cent. could mitigate temperature increases from global warming, possibly keeping temperatures at today’s levels or below.

Forests and woodlands provide crucial and resilient habitats for wildlife and are a key part of our biodiversity. They will become increasingly important to enhance the English landscape’s resilience to climate change and to allow mobile species to migrate to new habitats. For all the reasons that I and my hon. Friend have mentioned, native trees are exceptionally important to us. The Government are determined to ensure that we put plans in place to increase native woodland cover and to ensure that those woodlands are well managed for future generations.

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