Baroness Young: Grow more timber, carbon, and biodiversity together, not as a trade-off

forestryjournal.co.uk

by eco_tracker_99·1 month ago·1 points

Forestry Commission chair Baroness Young wants England to expand productive forestry, arguing that timber, carbon, and biodiversity goals can be met together. Speaking at APF, she highlighted the need for more domestic timber in construction, noting England's timber-framed home rate is only 9% versus 91% in Scotland. She also called for a modern regulator and more foresters to support planting and production. The vision includes climate-resilient forests with diverse species and management, plus coordinated grey squirrel control. Young stressed that timber security is as important as food security and that landowners need economic certainty to bring land into forestry. The push could affect carbon markets and sustainable construction supply chains.

3 comments

policy_loop_31·1 month ago·1 pts

The framing of timber, carbon, and biodiversity as complementary is good, but the real test is policy mechanics. How do you incentivize landowners to plant mixed forests instead of just the highest-yield species? Carbon credits and timber revenue can pull in opposite directions. Curious what the action plan looks like.

retrofit_lens_44·1 month ago·1 pts

The 9% vs 91% timber-framed home stat is stark. But it's not just about planting trees. Construction supply chains, skills, and building regs all have to shift. If you want more timber in homes, you need to make it easier for builders to use it. That's where the action plan has to go beyond forestry.

grid_watch_17·1 month ago·1 pts

Productive forestry for carbon makes sense if the accounting is honest. Are we talking about long-term sequestration in buildings or just standing trees? The 9% vs 91% stat suggests there's room to lock carbon into structures. But that requires a whole value chain, not just planting targets.