Devon’s first ever Tree and Woodland Strategy was approved and adopted by the Devon Local Nature Partnership Board on the 18th March 2024. The Woodland Trust led on the Strategy for the Devon Local Nature Partnership. For the links to the documents and more information, please see below.
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Key partners
The key partners involved in leading the development of the Devon Tree and Woodland strategy include: The Woodland Trust and Devon County Council. The Devon Tree Strategy Steering Group includes representatives from protected landscapes, Natural England, the Forestry Commission, Devon’s District Councils, and other relevant organisations. It is led by the Woodland Trust.
Working with partners across the county, the Woodland Trust has appointed Eunomia as the lead consultants to create a tree strategy for Devon. Eunomia will be supported by Devon Wildlife Consultants and Forest Research.
The strategy which covers the geographic area of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, sets out ambitions for our precious trees, hedges and woodlands from now until 2050.
It sets out a plan for delivery of an additional 3000ha of woodland and trees in Devon by 2030, to help achieve an increase in the county’s tree cover from 14% to 16.5% by 2050, meeting the UK’s national target, set in the England Tree Action Plan. This will enable more trees to capture more carbon as they grow, which is a vital part of our fight against climate change and reaching net zero emissions.
The strategy highlights that Devon’s woodland resources are worth an estimated £359.5 million, according to research by Eunomia Research and Consulting. This is the estimated value trees have on climate, flood regulation, air quality, and as places to visit for recreation to support physical health and mental wellbeing.
From Devon’s precious Temperate Rainforest to its orchards, hedgerows and mighty oaks, the strategy sets out a vision to expand, protect, improve, inspire and deliver action for them.
As climate change tightens its hold with warmer, wetter winters and drier hotter summers, coupled with more extreme weather events, the strategy directs action to make Devon’s cherished trees and woodlands more resilient and adaptable.
Trees and woodlands are at the same time, being subjected to a barrage of threats from pests and diseases including Ash Die Back. The strategy examines these threats and looks for opportunities to be resilient against them.
The strategy calls for partners to come together to beat climate change, and through its delivery, everyone can help achieve a better natural environment in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay with healthy woodlands and trees which are able to increase in value and provide more in an uncertain future.
Professor Michael Winter OBE, Chair Devon Local Nature Partnership, said: “It is excellent to see how many partners came together to compile the strategy from across Devon, Torbay and Plymouth on behalf of the Local Nature Partnership taking stock for the first time, of Devon’s existing tree, hedge and woodland resources. The strategy will enable land managers, communities, developers, planners and nature restorers to maximise their actions towards a common goal of ensuring the best outcomes for people, nature and climate.”
Funded by the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund and a range of organisations from across Devon including councils, the Forestry Commission and National Landscapes, the plan will contribute to making Devon thrive for people nature and climate. Work is underway to explore how different districts, unitaries and partners can make their contribution to the strategy themes.
Background
The Devon Tree Strategy Steering Group met with the consultants at Eunomia for the first time at the beginning of November 2022. Eunomia and the group agreed an approach to producing the strategy and discussed how this will support work on trees and woodlands across Devon, positive outcomes from the strategy and mapping. The steering group met again in December to discuss the strategy vision statement and structure. A wider stakeholder workshop was held on 28th February 2023, the aim of which was to prioritise actions for the strategy action plan. Another workshop was held on 10th March and brought together tree officers, planners, green infrastructure officers and ecologists to discuss how planning policy can be improved for trees, hedges and woodland across Devon.
Developed a schedule of monthly steering group meetings
Survey launched – in first round for the steering group and selected, interested parties
Wider stakeholder workshop (Feb 28th) – focussing on prioritising actions for the strategy action plan. Eunomia are currently distilling outputs from the workshop into an action plan.
Engagement with the LNP working group (1st March), focussing on getting feedback on the four strategy themes: Protect, Improve, Expand, Inspire
Planning and Policy stakeholder workshop (10th March): aiming to discuss how tree-related policy can be improved in Devon’s development plans
Following the Planning and Policy workshop, a Task and Finish group is being identified with the aim of: consolidating outputs from the workshop and creating model policy wording relating to trees, hedges and woodland that can be adopted by development plans at all scales.
Content:
Research into national policy context and comparison of other tree and woodland strategies
Research into understanding the different needs of the three main urban areas
Research into understanding the Dartmoor context
Research into understanding lessons learnt and challenges from existing tree initiatives
Mapping outputs are being explored, including baseline mapping using nationally available datasets and opportunity mapping for landowners.
Devon Tree and Woodland Strategy kick-off meeting 1st November 2022
Eunomia outlined the purpose of the strategy and their approach to its development and stakeholder engagement. Stakeholder engagement will include monthly meetings with the Devon Tree Strategy Steering Group, a workshop with a wider group of stakeholders and interviews with selected individuals. The purpose of the strategy as outlined by Eunomia is:
To form part of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS)
To give local organisations and landowners tools to make use of funding opportunities by providing clarity on the funding mechanisms and clear rationale for projects.
To contribute to National targets set in the England Trees Action Plan
To feed into planning process and use this to support trees.
To build on and support related strategies in the area such as Green Infrastructure, Health as well as feeding into corporate policy and actions of Devon County Council, Plymouth and Torbay, the District Councils, and protected landscapes.
The first group discussion was centered around the desired aims and outcomes of the strategy, which included:
To provide a tool that developers can use when planning, to consider green infrastructure and protection of existing trees from the outset
To create connectivity and nature recovery networks
Joined up approach with the LNRS
Mapping outputs that compliment LNRS
To clarify/help conflicting issues highlighted during formulation of Right Place, Right Tree guidance e.g. respecting past vs meeting future needs, native vs non-native particularly relating to rural/urban and climate resilience.
Guidance on agroforestry, wood pasture, silviculture, timber industry, plant health, diseases and pests
Link to Devon Carbon Plan and delivery on relevant objectives
To provide guidance/input to local plans – site allocations – the natural capital value/potential of existing sites.
Review of management – squirrel, deer, beavers, other woodland species
The final discussion focused on mapping and identifying the appropriate data needed for baseline mapping.
Outputs of the strategy need to be decided first as this will inform what data is needed.
It is important to identify maps that already exist to avoid duplication.
The strategy could help people interpret existing maps instead of creating new ones.
The strategy could produce opportunity mapping for tree planting- the scale of mapping needs to be considered for this option. This option avoids numerical targets – good thing?
Alternatively, less focus could be given to mapping and instead the strategy could be used as a political tool to encourage or discourage planting.
Important to use accurate baseline map of existing woodland which could lead to offering management advice as part of the strategy.
Where could the maps outputs be hosted and in what format? Options discussed: LNP website, DCC environment viewer, PDF
Following the discussion in this SG meeting, the strategy vision statement was updated to:
Devon’s trees, woodlands and hedges are an integral part of Devon’s distinctive character and highly valued within all communities.
Existing tree and woodland assets are protected and sustainably managed to maximise the productive value and environmental benefits already being delivered.
New planting and natural regeneration is strategically managed to support climate resilience and connect habitats whilst protecting what is special and valued in the landscape.
Trees in towns and villages are used by all as community assets that strengthen a woodland culture.
Trees in rural areas are part of a healthy mosaic landscape and integrated into farmland through a diversified approach to productive agriculture.
Strategy structure
The strategy’s structure included 3 main concepts – ‘Protect, Improve, Expand’.
Protect: No net loss of woody assets – existing assets are protected and where felling is necessary this is balanced with new planting.
Improve: More of Devon’s woodlands are managed sustainably, balancing conservation concerns with the need for productive forestry.
Expand: More trees and woodlands in Devon to support national efforts to address climate change and nature recovery.
It was suggested by steering group members that an additional concept be added to cover people and communities. This concept could also encompass celebrating trees and access to green space. The word ‘Inspire’ was chosen for this concept.
Inspire: All of Devon’s residents have trees close to where they live and enjoy time in greenspace.
A tacit agreement was made to use Protect, Improve, Expand, and Inspire and Eunomia are working on that basis.
Target setting
The Defra target, to support the UK Govt goal, in England is to plant 7500 ha per year by 2025. Devon makes up 5% of England’s land, therefore, Devon could have a target to plant 385 ha/year for the next 10 years.
Other approaches to target setting that were discussed were:
1 new tree per resident (e.g. Norfolk – 1 million trees by 2025, Hertfordshire 1.2 million trees by 2030)
Propose that all farmers aim for at least 10% tree cover on their farm (Wales SFI)
Invite all landowners, large and small to pledge to devote an additional 5% of their land to trees/woodland/hedgerows.
This was discussed in detail and it was agreed that targets should be created for each district and this should feed into a county-wide target. Each district has a different starting point in terms of percentage canopy cover which needs to be considered when setting these targets.
Wider stakeholder support
The SG agreed that a wider stakeholder workshop needs to be run for around 30 people focussing on people who are not in the SG. This will include foresters and sustainable timber managers, farmers and landowners, community groups, wildlife organisations, the National Trust, invasive species, education, and recreation representatives. The planned date for this is the 28th Feb 2023.
On the 28th February, DCC, The Woodland Trust and Eunomia collectively ran a workshop for a wider group of stakeholders. The aim of the workshop was to identify important actions under the strategy themes of ‘Protect’, ‘Improve’, ‘Expand’ and ‘Inspire’ and to prioritise key actions. These will inform the shared action plan so that the strategy can coordinate action across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.
We had a brilliant turn out and had invited people from various sectors including, foresters and sustainable timber managers, farmers and landowners, community groups, wildlife organisations, the National Trust, other NGOs, and invasive species, education, and recreation representatives.
Consultants at Eunomia are currently consolidating outputs and distilling key actions under the four themes ‘Protect’, ‘Expand’, ‘Improve’ and ‘Inspire’.
On the 10th March, DCC and The Woodland Trust ran a workshop, with support from the FC and North Devon DC, with the aim of:
Exploring where gaps and inconsistencies are in existing tree-focussed policies, relating to the emerging Strategy themes of ‘protect’, ‘improve’ , ‘expand’ and ‘inspire’.
Distilling some key principles that will help in updates of local plan policies and achieve a consistent high standard on planning policy and guidance on trees, hedges and woodland across Devon.
A planning Task and Finish Group was formed comprising representatives from many planning authorities across Devon. The Group has been meeting every month since June to develop key planning policy principles and outcomes relating to trees, hedges and woodland that can be applied to development plans in a consistent way at all scales across the county of Devon.
Next Steps
We are looking for partners across Devon to deliver the strategy. If you’re interested in helping, contact Rosie Walker, The Woodland Trust: RosieWalker@woodlandtrust.org.uk
Contacts
If you have anything to contribute or discuss, please contact us:
