Regenerative Forestry
Regenerative forestry
Growing and changing the way our forests are managed to make them fit for the future
Forests cover 13 percent of the UK, the second biggest land use after farming
Forests are an incredible resource with the power to:
- help tackle the climate crisis by storing carbon in living trees and improving soils
- provide climate-friendly materials such as timber and fibre
- create havens for wildlife
- change and support meaningful livelihoods in the forestry and farming sectors
- improve our wellbeing our physical and mental health improve when we get out into nature
Regenerative forestry sets out proposals for policymakers, the forestry sector and civil society for how we can collectively better manage forests for our climate, nature and people. This includes how we currently manage existing forests, but also how we create new forest areas.
Read our latest report to find out what’s possible with regenerative forestry
Read the reportWhat does regenerative forestry look like?
The future of forestry, one that delivers for climate, nature and people, means:
- planting more trees, especially on farms and increasing forest cover from 13-19 percent by 2050
- increasing forest diversity by planting a wider range of tree species and allowing natural processes
- protecting forest soils and the forest ecosystem by reducing any soil disturbance and maintaining forest canopy
- creating productive forests that provide climate-friendly and high-quality timber
- integrating more trees and forests into farming bringing foresters and farmers closer together
- people enjoying the physical and mental benefits that trees and forests bring
Regenerative forestry is fully integrated with agroecological farming and conservation to achieve the most impact.
Forests are critical in tackling the climate crisis
On average forest soils hold
75
%
of UK forest’s carbon
What are we asking policy makers to do?
- Develop a joined-up framework for land use which supports and manages farming and forestry in an integrated way
- Use public funds and regulation to reward the benefits to climate, nature and people from integrated land use and the adoption of regenerative forest management practices
- Align research and technical development to support forest owners to transition to regenerative forestry management practices
- Create a vision for all Government owned forests (not simply exemplar sites) that embraces regenerative forestry throughout this public resource
What are we asking forest owners, managers and forest product industries to do?
- Adopt regenerative forest management practices across the entire forest to deliver optimal climate, nature and social benefits.
- Implement a step change in the species diversity and in-stand age structure of timber producing forests, with a presumption for the maintenance of forest conditions by reducing reliance on clear felling and the mainstream adoption of lower impact silviculture systems, such as continuous cover.
- Work with, and develop new ways to support, farmers in the integrated management of woodlands and trees within farming systems and the wider landscape.
Read the Regenerative Forestry Report
Read the reportRead the evidence report
Read the evidence
What can you do to help protect forests?
Read the report? Now, read our seven ways to support our work protecting forests.
