That was the consensus from a vigorous panel dialogue on the latest assembly of the All-Celebration Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Forestry and Timber Safety.
The session, titled ‘Farmers and foresters working collectively – what does that appear like?’, introduced collectively key voices from each sectors.
Panellists included David Edwards, deputy CEO of the Meals and Farming Fee; Hywel Lloyd from Labour Coast and Nation; Jillian Kennedy, forest supervisor at Scottish Woodlands Ltd; and Anthony Geddes, head of funding at Euroforest Silviculture.
Mr Edwards voiced optimism that farmers are more and more open to tree planting, notably at a modest agroforestry degree that aligns with environmental objectives.
Nonetheless, he famous that bigger, industrial woodland tasks require a broader, landscape-scale method.
“Forestry is massively under-represented – and perhaps that’s on us (farming pursuits) in addition to the forestry facet,” he mentioned, including that the sector ought to play a extra distinguished function within the Authorities’s land use session launched in January.
Mr Edwards advised a joint occasion between the APPG on Forestry and the APPG on Farming to discover extra built-in working relationships intimately.
Mr Lloyd highlighted the enduring stereotype of economic forestry as indifferent from native communities. “This can be a large problem and there’s a have to construct higher relationships,” he mentioned, calling for the business to embrace a ‘pull’ method – clearly articulating the environmental and financial advantages of forestry to have interaction new audiences.
“Present how forestry can profit them – so the dialog continues while you go away the room,” he added.
Ms Kennedy shared her private perspective, drawing on her twin background in farming and forestry. “I’m an unintended forester,” she mentioned, noting that many challenges – from carbon audits to regulatory hurdles – are frequent throughout each sectors. Because the nationwide chair of the Scottish Affiliation of Younger Farmers’ Golf equipment, she believes the youthful technology is extra open to collaborative land use and modern practices.
Mr Geddes echoed this view, pointing to ‘historic obstacles at regulatory degree’ which have made it troublesome to launch large-scale, farmer-led industrial forestry schemes.
“Giant profitable schemes which have been farmer-led have not likely been industrial forestry – however there is a chance to place productive planting into that,” he mentioned, urging foresters to ‘simply speak to farmers’.
Richard Stanford, CEO of the Forestry Fee, additionally addressed the panel, stressing the necessity for behavioural change. “I at all times say I’m not within the enterprise of timber however behavioural change,” he remarked, urging the sector to have interaction past its personal echo chamber.
He highlighted the Fee’s ‘purple map’, figuring out 2.8m/ha of land appropriate for woodland creation with minimal battle. “For those who observe the applying course of in these areas, we’ll goal to course of your utility in 12 weeks,” he confirmed, with 93% of functions in that zone at the moment assembly the goal.
Stuart Goodall, CEO of Confor, summarised the challenges dealing with UK farmers, from subsidy uncertainty to declining meat consumption. “Forestry is an actual alternative,” he mentioned. “It may possibly present a powerful long-term revenue stream, shelter belts for livestock, and a path to carbon insetting.”
The chair of the APPG, Ben Lake, closed the session with a name for unity: “The necessity for meals and for wooden fibre is commonly portrayed as an irreconcilable battle, which it needn’t be. Foresters and farmers can work collectively to extend woodland cowl and timber provide within the UK, whereas additionally supporting British agriculture.”
