Forests and Trees: Conservation

(asked on 27th January 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to protect (a) trees and (b) woodlands in (i) Surrey and (ii) the UK.


Answered by
Rebecca Pow Portrait
Rebecca Pow
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This question was answered on 3rd February 2020

Measures to protect our trees and woodlands apply nationally and are not county dependent.

We committed in our 25 Year Environment Plan to increase protection of our existing trees and forests.

As part of this, we have already strengthened the protection of ancient woodlands through the National Planning Policy Framework and the accompanying Planning Policy Guidance and we are introducing a new duty on local authorities to consult local communities when they wish to remove street trees.

The Environment Bill is also providing additional powers to the Forestry Commission, to increase the deterrent for illegal felling, protect our woodlands and ensure that illegally felled land is restocked.

In the Spring, Defra will be consulting on its forthcoming England Tree Strategy, setting out the Government’s vision for English forestry.

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