Guidance

Managing England’s woodlands in a climate emergency

New climate change management guidance to provide practical advice to landowners on ways they can better manage their woodland to combat the effects of climate change.

• From: Forestry Commission
• Published: 5 November 2019
• Last updated: 3 August 2020 — See all updates

Applies to England

• Publication for Northern Ireland
• Publication for Scotland
• Publication for Wales

Documents

Managing England’s woodlands in a climate emergency

PDF, 2.58 MB, 16 pages

Details

A 15 page guide covering:

• introduction
• climate change and woodland: key points
• likely impacts of climate change on England’s trees and woodland
• principles for adapting England’s woodlands
• managing adaptation of England’s woodlands
• managing adaptation: native and ancient woodland
• reducing risk through diversification

New guidance to support foresters, farmers, landowners and agents to strengthen their woodland management and help adapt their woodlands to the impacts of our changing climate. This practical, advice-led approach offers key principles to help woodland owners implement measures specific to the needs of their land, while mitigating the effects of climate change.

The guidance outlines how foresters and agents can help make significant changes to the species composition, structure and management of our woodlands now, to give them the best chance to survive and thrive in 50 years’ time, when we know our climate will be quite different. Tree crops can take many years to mature, we need to plan and plant appropriately for both the current, and future climates.

Trees can only help reduce the negative impacts of a changing climate if they are resilient to those challenges themselves and continue to thrive while the climate changes. The climate matching tool can help you to consider the selection of seed from trees that are growing successfully in an environment that England’s may look like in the future.

Published 5 November 2019
Last updated 3 August 2020 + show all updates

1. 3 August 2020

   This page has been updated with information about the climate matching tool, which can help you to consider the selection of seed from trees that are growing successfully in an environment that England’s may look like in the future.

2. 12 March 2020

   The 'Managing England’s woodlands in a climate emergency' guide has been updated.

3. 5 November 2019

   First published.