November 5, 2021
“Grown in Britain policy for timber in public buildings”
In the 12 days of COP26, we’re sharing 12 ideas to help Britain’s forests grow. In our series ‘Wood for the Trees,’ we spoke with woodland experts about their hopes and fears for the future of our forests, and asked for one policy suggestion for UK government.
Dougal Driver, chief executive of Grown in Britain said “I’d like to see the government put its money where its mouth is really, it talks about climate crisis and using timber more in projects but I’d like to see it have a grown in Britain first policy on all of the projects that are funded by taxpayers money. Whether it’s building a new school or in Parliament buildings, local authorities, highways, all of these things that are funded by the public purse, they should have a grown in Britain first policy.”
“Everybody’s talking about trees and woods and wanting more of them and so I just hope that we can take that interest from the public.” But Dougal said he wants people to “understand that it’s not just a question of buying a tree, sponsoring a tree and putting it in the ground and leaving it and expecting the planet to be saved through just doing that…”
Grown in Britain is an independent not-for-profit organisation working to ensure the future success of the UK’s woods and forests. It works at every stage of the forest product supply chain to support the use of UK timber. Dougal talked about the risks to our woodlands from diseases like ash dieback. “Ash is being devastated by an imported disease – so I hope we can get a grip on our biosecurity as we move forward, and treat these trees and woods, as real special cases and protect them from pests and diseases, so I have some fears around that.
“But I’m exceptionally hopeful about this interest we have in these wonderful places and of course this wonderful material that it produces.”
Watch 12 ideas to help Britain’s forests grow:
Find out more about woodland management and the work of Grown in Britain in part two of ‘Wood for the Trees,’ on youtube.
For more information about the series visit woodforthetrees.uk
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