The Forestry Commission is to sharpen its focus on working with others to deliver the Government's policies in England. Following a review of the administration of forestry policy delivery across Britain the Commission is to trisect its GB Forest Enterprise management agency and create a new body dedicated to managing England's public woods and forests. There will also be a step change in co-operation between the FC and DEFRA on joined-up delivery of the Government's agenda in rural England.

Forestry Ministers have agreed the recommendations of the Forestry Devolution Review, a wide-ranging interdepartmental review of the administrative arrangements for developing sustainable forestry policies post-devolution. Ministers expressed their full support for the delivery of policy in this area by the Forestry Commission. They accepted that the current arrangements needed to be updated, but agreed that this should be implemented by administrative action rather than by legislation. The aim of the changes is to achieve greater integration of forestry with other rural policy work in England, Scotland and Wales whilst retaining desirable opportunities for a collaborative approach to common issues.

The new arrangements include:

• much greater integration of policy development and delivery between the Forestry Commission's National Office in England and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This will be underpinned by a concordat worked up between the two.

• devolving the Forestry Commission's Forest Enterprise agency into three bodies, charged with managing separately the public forests in England, Scotland and Wales.
  
• an enhanced role for Scotland and Wales in determining research priorities, with joint approval by forestry Ministers of the research strategy and annual research programme.
  
• enhanced representation for England on the Board of Forestry Commissioners.
  
• a new ministerial committee, involving Ministers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to discuss international issues and any cross-cutting issues where collaboration would be advantageous and to monitor the effectiveness of these new arrangements.
  

Announcing the changes Forestry Minister, Elliot Morley said:

"The formation of DEFRA last year created a focal point for the rural development agenda, and policies for farming, tourism, biodiversity and forestry are all interdependent. The new arrangements will further improve our integrated approach to sustainable rural affairs.

"The Forestry Commission is well placed to help DEFRA better deliver its aims and objectives of creating a dynamic countryside for everyone to enjoy, with thriving rural economies and communities, and with an abundance of wildlife resources.

“The new arrangements will also serve to strengthen the integrity of the Forestry Commission which, through its agency Forest Enterprise, is the biggest single provider of facilities for rural tourism in England."

The Commission manages over 200,000 hectares of woodlands in England - around 20 per cent of all the country's woods and forests. It also supports the sustainable management of woodland in private ownership across the country.

Welcoming the announcement the Commission's Chairman, Lord Clark of Windermere said:

"We are pleased with the outcome of the review and look forward to working more closely with DEFRA under the new arrangements. Woodlands have a lot to contribute to England's countryside and are an important part of its economy, landscape and culture. The changes Ministers have announced today will allow the Commission to play its full part."

The new arrangements, including the devolved management bodies, are expected to be in place by the first of April, 2003. Although they will mean some relocation of jobs to England details have yet to be worked up.

The arrangements will ensure that all parts of Government work closely together to deliver maximum public benefits from England’s forests and woodlands. Since the launch of the England Forestry Strategy in 1998, there have been a number of significant developments including the creation of DEFRA and increasing devolution within England. As announced in the recent spending review, the Government will therefore be taking the opportunity to analyse its policy goals for forestry in England as well as how the Forestry Commission, DEFRA and other Departments can best work together to deliver them.


Notes to Editors
1. The review group's report and executive summary, and previous related news releases, are available for download from the Commission's website at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fdr

2. In 1999, as part of the devolution settlement, responsibility for forestry was transferred to Scottish Ministers and the National Assembly for Wales. Westminster retained responsibility for forestry in England and for overarching international issues.

3. The review was announced by Mr Morley in January 2002 in an answer to a Parliamentary Question. The review was undertaken by officials from the Forestry Commission, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales, the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and Rural Development were also be involved.

4. The review group carried out a consultation with key stakeholders and an analysis of the responses received is included in the report.

5. The quinquennial review of the Commission's Forest Research Agency will now proceed to its second stage.

Media contact: Colin Morton 0131 314 6249