These pages show how we are developing Government policy on restoring and expanding open habitats from woods and forests in England.
We are aiming for a policy that delivers changes in the real world - outcomes. Early in the process we will work out how to measure the effectiveness of the policy. We will develop policy options and use evidence to assess which are most likely to work.
We are using an open process throughout, encouraging stakeholders to get involved through a variety of mechanisms and publishing intermediate steps on these pages.
We are leading the process working closely with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Natural England.
Documentation
- Restoration of open habitats from woods and forests: Process for developing policy. (56kb
- Restoration of open habitats from woods and forests: Policy development - Step 1 of 9 (87kb
- Stakeholder workshop 26th September 2008
- Restoration of open habitats from woods and forests: Policy evidence summary - Step 2 of 9 (367kb)
- Policy Evidence - Impact on Timber (88kb)
- Policy Evidence Survey Public Forest Estate (179kb)
- Restoration of open habitats consultation
Summary of policy development process
Update 16th November 2009: We plan to be in a position to submit final policy proposals to Ministers in January 2009.
Step | Mechanism | Timescale |
1. Fit progress to date into a policy cycle. Policy dev - Step 1 | Forestry Commission England (FCE) to use work to date to produce a paper to define the problem, desired outcomes (including indicators of outcomes) and other issues for consideration and set out policy options. | June 2008 |
2. Work out implications for delivery mechanisms and collate evidence. Policy Evidence summary - Step 2 (376kb) | Leads for each delivery mechanism to work out implications. FCE to set out summary of evidence. Considered at workshop 26th September. | August - September 2008 |
3. Plan evaluation. | Including a stakeholder workshop 26th September. | September 2008 - October 2008 |
4. Appraise options. | ||
| 5. Consult. | Formal public consultation. Summary of responses published July 2009. | March - June 2009 |
6. Make a decision. | Policy proposals to be submitted to Ministers by FC. | January 2009 |
7. Produce policy document. | FC to draft. Subject to Ministerial response. | February 2010 – subject to policy decision |
8. Launch policy. | Launch policy at an event to be confirmed | March 2010 – subject to policy decision |
9. Set up delivery mechanisms. | Depends on policy decision but will include a strategy for the Forestry Commission Public Forest Estate. | 2010 – subject to policy decision |
If you wish to get involved in this process, please contact:
Dominic Driver
Senior Projects Officer
Policy and Programmes Group
Forestry Commission England
620 Bristol Business Park
Bristol
BS16 1EJ
Tel: 0117 906 6003
Mobile: 07779 627668
Email: oh.consultation@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
