Environment Bill — New Clause 25 — Duty to Prepare a Tree Strategy for England — 26 May 2021 at 15:40

The majority of MPs voted not to require the production of a Tree Strategy for England, including targets for fraction of the country covered by trees, new tree planting and the fraction of woodland in favourable ecological condition.

MPs were considering the Environment Bill.^[1][2]

The proposed new clause rejected in this vote was titled: Duty to prepare a Tree Strategy for England and stated:

• (1) The Government must prepare a Tree Strategy for England as set out in subsections (2), (3) and (4).
• (2) The strategy must set out the Government’s vision, objectives, priorities and policies for trees in England including individual trees, woodland and forestry, and set out other matters with respect to the promotion of sustainable management of trees in these contexts.
• (3) The Tree Strategy for England must include the Government’s targets and interim targets with respect to—
• (a) the percentage of England under tree cover;
• (b) hectares of new native woodland creation achieved by tree planting;
• (c) hectares of new native woodland creation achieved by natural regeneration;
• (d) the percentage of native woodland in favourable ecological condition;
• (e) hectares of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) undergoing restoration;
• (f) the condition of the England’s Long Established Woodlands; and
• (g) hectares of Long Established Woodlands undergoing restoration.
• (4) The Tree Strategy for England must set out—
• (a) locations of additional planting of 30,000 hectares of woodland in the UK each year, as set out in the England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024;
• (b) a plan for the maintenance of the trees and woodlands planted under the England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024; and
• (c) which authorities or individuals are responsible for the maintenance of the trees and woodlands planted under the England Trees Action Plan 2021-2024.
• (5) The Government must publish—
• (a) an annual statement on progress against the Tree Strategy for England; and
• (b) any revisions of the Tree Strategy which may be necessary.
• (6) The Government must publish a revised Tree Strategy for England within the period of 10 years beginning with the day on which the strategy or its most recent revision was published.

The rejected new clause was accompanied by the following statement from its proposer:

• The aim of this new clause is to ensure that the Government prepares a tree strategy for England. It will ensure that the Government has to produce targets for the protection, restoration and expansion of trees and woodland in England.

--

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Environment Bill, Parliament.uk
• [2] Explanatory notes to the Environment Bill, 30 January 2020, Parliament.uk
• [3] Environment Bill as of 27 November 2020. Parliament.uk

Debate in Parliament |