Policy paper

Tree health resilience strategy: our goals

Published 25 May 2018

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

© Crown copyright 2018

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tree-health-resilience-strategy-2018/tree-health-resilience-strategy-our-goals

Protecting trees from pests and diseases is essential in realising our ambition to leave the environment in a better state for the next generation. This strategy sets out how we will enhance protection against the threat of pests and diseases.

Our strategy also sets out, in detail, how we will work with the industry and others to build resilience in our trees, woods and forests.

This page summarises what we hope to achieve over the next 5 years.

1. Our goals

We will:

  • work together to protect and value our trees as important natural capital
  • put biosecurity at the heart of everything we do, from onsite activities to buying practices
  • develop and apply the latest science and evidence on the full range of threats to tree health to inform our risk-based approach
  • apply the principles of the environmental goals to the management of our trees, woods and forests
  • build the knowledge and capability to apply the concepts of resilience at all levels

We’ve also identified goals for improving tree resilience, including baseline diversity and the health and condition of our trees, woods and forests. The environmental goals are:

  • extent – a continued increase of trees, woods and forests
  • connectivity – enhancing the linear forest and matrix of trees within other habitat settings
  • diversity – enhancing the genetic diversity and increasing the structural diversity of our treescape
  • condition – encourage healthier trees and thriving woodlands and forests
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