How Policy Is Finally Catching Up: The National Wood Strategy, the Environmental Improvement Plan and What It Means for British Timber
When the National Wood Strategy for England was published, it set out something the UK has needed for decades: a joined-up, practical plan for growing more of the right trees, managing woodlands better, and supplying a stronger pipeline of home-grown timber.
Tom Barnes, our Managing Director at Vastern Timber, co-wrote that strategy alongside Andy Leitch from Confor. The work involved long debate, evidence gathering, and a simple shared goal – how do we secure a future where British woodlands are healthier, more productive, and able to supply the country with the timber it desperately needs?
Fast forward, and the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) lands with language that feels very familiar. Lines such as “increase the proportion of conifer species” track exactly with the thinking set out in the National Wood Strategy. The alignment isn’t accidental; it reflects a real shift in government priorities. The UK is finally recognising that productive forestry and environmental stewardship can, and must, work together.
This is a significant moment, not only for Confor and for Tom’s work on the strategy, but for the wider timber industry and everyone committed to growing and using more British wood.
A quick overview: What is the National Wood Strategy?
At its core, the strategy answers three questions:
- What trees should we grow, and where?England needs a balanced mix: resilient conifers for construction timber, alongside native broadleaves for biodiversity, landscape value, and long-term woodland health.
- How do we manage woodlands better?Too many woodlands are neglected. The strategy calls for more active management to improve biodiversity, increase carbon sequestration, and produce higher-quality timber.
- How do we build a home-grown supply chain?The UK imports around 60% of its sawn timber. That is neither secure nor sustainable. We need investment in skills, processing capacity, and woodland creation to change that.
Vastern has championed these ideas for years: healthy, productive woodlands; strong British supply chains; and better use of locally grown timber.
How the Environmental Improvement Plan reflects the Strategy
When policy wording starts echoing industry strategy, you know the message is landing.
The EIP’s emphasis on:
- Increasing the proportion of conifers
- Strengthening domestic supply
- Improving woodland management
- Boosting resilience to climate change
All of which lines up almost point-for-point with the National Wood Strategy.
For years, the sector has argued that productive forestry is not the enemy of biodiversity, unmanaged woods do not automatically thrive, and Britain cannot rely on imports forever. The EIP shows government is finally acknowledging this.
What this means for the national timber trade
If policy follows through with funding and practical reform, the benefits are huge:
- More consistent supply of British timber
Sawmills, processors, and manufacturers can plan with confidence when the pipeline is stable. - Investment in skills and rural economies
Forestry, woodland management, and sawmilling create long-term, high-quality jobs. When government signals commitment, those sectors grow. - A shift toward climate-resilient woodland
A better-balanced mix of species, including productive conifers which gives us woodlands that store more carbon, withstand disease, and support more diverse habitats over time. - Stronger domestic markets
Architects, builders, and designers gain easier access to reliable, high-quality British materials.
This is precisely the direction we need to go if we want a thriving, future-facing timber industry.
Why this matters to the end user
Most people don’t follow forestry policy. But they feel the results through the materials they use.
A stronger, more consistent supply of British timber means:
- Shorter supply chains
Fewer imports. Lower transport emissions. Greater traceability. - More stable pricing
Domestic timber is less vulnerable to global market shocks. - Better performing products
When woodlands are actively managed, trees grow straighter, stronger, and more consistently, the sort of quality we rely on for products like Brimstone and our wider cladding range. - Real environmental value
Woodlands that are managed well support biodiversity, store more carbon, and offer real resilience. Buying British-grown timber helps make that possible.
For homeowners, self-builders, architects and designers, this means choosing British timber is not just a sustainability gesture but it’s a smart, future-proof choice.
Why this matters to us at Vastern
We’ve spent decades working with British timber because we believe it strengthens local forests, supports rural jobs, and reduces the UK’s dependence on imported wood. Tom’s work on the National Wood Strategy sits squarely in that mission.
Seeing the EIP echo this thinking is encouraging. It suggests the UK is finally moving toward a forestry model that values both productivity and biodiversity, a model that has worked for countries like Finland and Austria for years.
If the government delivers on these commitments, the future for British woodlands and British timber users, looks much brighter.
And we’ll continue doing what we’ve always done:
Champion local wood, invest in woodland knowledge, and make high-quality British-grown timber products that stand the test of time.
