Biodiversity and Environment

Biodiversity is so important to the health of our environment that anyone planting a forest in the UK needs permission from the Forestry Commission before going ahead, This will entail a host of bird, soil, biodiversity and other surveys and consultations – all to do with environmental impact.

Since 1992 when the UK signed up to the UN Convention on Biodiversity (which includes new woodlands), this country has been obliged to meet certain biodiversity targets. The body overseeing the record keeping for this work is UKBAP (the UK Biodiversity Action Plan). The idea is to first prevent biodiversity loss and then increase appropriate habitats. Certain habitats in the UK have been given priority status by the UK BAP, six of which are woodland habitat types. Our schemes fall into these categories.

Providing gold standard certification for all types of woodland scheme in the UK is the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS), covering areas such biodiversity, woodland design, sustainable management and environmental impact. The vast majority of Forest Carbon schemes are UKWAS certified, and where they aren't they meet the UK government's Forest Standard.