Latest news with #WoodlandCarbonCode
Leader Live
09-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
FUW on the private environmental payments for farmers
Are private environmental payments a potential goldmine, or a minefield for farmers? Payments for carbon sequestration, Biodiversity 'Net Gain', ecosystem services such as natural flood management, or habitat creation and 'nutrient trading', are showing an increase in interest from the private market. The FUW's Land Use Committee have recently published a report outlining five key 'needs' to ensure farmers can take advantage of, but also be protected within, these new markets. These include clarity and transparency; regulation and protection; access to schemes and rewarding active management; a balance between land use demands and permanence and last but not least; a fair price. It's important the Union engages in the design of these markets to ensure they work for Wales' family farms whilst protecting food production and our rural communities. Clarity and transparency is needed as it can be difficult for farmers to find opportunities, trusted brokers, and information on the practical and financial implications of these actions. In addition farmers need clarity on how these opportunities will interact with public financing via government-led schemes. Whilst standards and 'principles' have been published by the UK, Scottish and Welsh Government to improve the integrity of these markets, the FUW has argued that these do not go far enough in providing regulations which protect farmers. For example, climate change brings more extreme weather, pathogens and pests but this is not considered a 'force majeure' (e.g. wildfires in planted woodlands) as the unpredictability of climate change has been predicted. Such a situation has the potential to leave the farmer with costly replanting liabilities. Access to these schemes is currently the biggest barrier for smaller farms, especially tenants. The average size of a farm in Wales is 48 hectares, yet the cost of registration, validation and monitoring per project via, for example, the Woodland Carbon Code, means economies of scale are better suited to take advantage of the income available. This perhaps explains why Scotland's estates are already active in these markets. Balancing sometimes conflicting land use demands with the long term commitment of some of these schemes is a real challenge for farmers, in an uncertain trading and political climate, both domestically and globally. Farmers have to weigh up current and potential future income streams with what works for their businesses, families and land types and find projects which complement the farming system, such as Soil Carbon payments. A fair price should be a prerequisite but in reality farmers have seen dwindling government budgets for the maintenance and management of habitat, or schemes which provide 'income foregone' or capital contributions as opposed to genuinely reflecting the management skills, vision, planning time, local knowledge, capital costs and commitments these actions require. The private market, if they are to succeed in their ambitions, will need to prove to farmers that it can provide a long term and fair return for their work.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Memories of woodland fun and the work of the Forestry Commission
Our local forests have long been hives of activity, and we're looking back at some of the events they've hosted and the organisation responsible for them. A training day for childminders at Whinlatter Forest (Image: Newsquest) The Forestry Commission is a government department responsible for the management of publicly owned forests and the regulation of both public and private forestry in England. Forestry Commission harvest and site supervisor Paul Allen with a £300,000 harvester (Image: Newsquest) It was established in 1919 to expand Britain's forests and woodland, which had been severely depleted during the First World War. The commission bought large amounts of agricultural land on behalf of the state, eventually becoming the largest manager of land in Britain. Adrian Jones, manager at the Forestry Commission at Whinlatter (Image: Newsquest) Today, the Forestry Commission is divided into three divisions: Forestry England, Forestry Commission and Forest Research. Over time, its purpose broadened to include many other activities beyond timber production. ADVERTISEMENT Shane Lowe, 16, of Tebay, won the prestigious John Muir Trust Conserver Award thanks to his work with the Forestry Commission (Image: Newsquest) One major activity is scientific research, some of which is carried out in research forests across Britain. Recreation is also important, with several outdoor activities being actively promoted. Protecting and improving biodiversity across England's forests are a further part of the Forestry Commission's remit. Bike specialist Cyclewise Whinlatter and the Forestry Commission created two new courses for the young mountain bike enthusiast (Image: Newsquest) Before the setting up of separate bodies for Scotland, the organisation managed almost 700,000 hectares (about 1.7 million acres) of land in England and Scotland, making it the country's biggest land manager. Brownies from Cleator Moor teamed up with the Forestry Commission to mark their centenary and help make the area greener (Image: Newsquest) Deforestation was the main reason for the creation of the commission in 1919. Britain had only five per cent of its original forest cover left and the government wanted to create a strategic resource of timber. ADVERTISEMENT Claire Steel and Savannah Carruthers, three, from Workington meet The Gruffalo on the Forestry Commission's trail (Image: Newsquest) Since then forest coverage has doubled and the commission's remit expanded to include greater focus on sustainable forest management and maximising public benefits. Woodland creation continues to be an important role of the commission, and it works closely with government to achieve its goal of 12 per cent forest coverage by 2060, championing initiatives such as The Big Tree Plant and Woodland Carbon Code. Tawny owl numbers were soaring at the Forestry Commission's Kielder Forest (Image: Newsquest) The Forestry Commission is also the government body responsible for the regulation of private forestry in England; felling is generally illegal without first obtaining a licence from the commission. It is also responsible for encouraging new private forest growth and development. Part of this role is carried out by providing grants in support of private forests and woodlands.
