Woodland Trust releases a report asking for more domestic tree production

 Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Systemic flaws in the domestic tree production industry are currently undermining the United Kingdom’s lofty environmental commitments, notably its legally binding push to achieve Net Zero and crucial biodiversity targets. Four of the top environmental and horticultural organisations in the country, the Woodland Trust, the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), the National Trust, and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), worked together to produce the new Strong Roots report, which was released on October 14, 2025.

The report serves as a definitive statement, asserting that greater and coordinated government support for British tree nurseries and growers is “the backbone of reaching targets to increase tree cover.”

The UK government’s Net Zero Strategy requires the expansion of tree cover at an unprecedented rate, necessitating the planting of 40,000 hectares of new woodland annually by 2030. While Britain celebrated its highest planting rate in 35 years in the 2023/24 financial year, exceeding 20,000 hectares, the current pace is simply insufficient to meet the decade-end goal.

The Strong Roots analysis identifies key structural barriers preventing the necessary scale-up of domestic tree production:

• Lack of a designated action plan: A critical absence of a coordinated, cross-departmental strategy to foster the domestic tree growing industry, leading to market uncertainty for growers.
• Skilled worker shortage: An acute deficit of trained personnel across the forestry and horticultural sectors, hindering the ability of nurseries to expand and manage complex production processes.
• Limited diversity in production: A low number of non-woodland species, specifically fruit, nut, and amenity trees, are being produced domestically. These are vital for sustainable agroforestry systems and for improving the climate resilience and public well-being of urban areas, city streets, and residential gardens.

Rebecca Gosling, Lead Policy Advocate at the Woodland Trust, emphasised the urgency: “All three British governments have ambitious annual targets to increase tree cover. England’s Environmental Improvement Plan sets a legally binding goal of expanding tree cover from 14.5% to 16.5% by 2050. This level of tree planting, which is vital in the fight against climate change, simply won’t be possible unless there is coordinated support for the British tree production industry.”

Beyond climate targets, increasing domestic tree production offers immediate and tangible benefits for national resilience and the economy:

1. Strengthening Biosecurity

A reliance on imported trees—a necessity due to the insufficient domestic supply—significantly elevates the risk of introducing invasive tree pests and diseases. Pests and pathogens can spread through imported plants and soil, posing an existential threat to native species.

• The report notes that managing pests and disease currently costs the UK economy an estimated £6.1 million a year. This is a conservative figure, considering that devastating diseases like Ash Dieback are predicted to cost the economy up to £15 billion over the next century.
• By reducing the need for imports, the UK can reinforce its biosecurity, protecting existing woodland capital and significantly mitigating future clean-up and loss-of-benefit costs.

2. Untapped Economic Growth

The UK’s continued dependency on foreign sources represents a significant outflow of capital. In 2023 alone, Britain imported £280 million-worth of trees and shrubs. This spending represents an untapped opportunity for economic growth, job creation, and investment within rural communities.

Professor Alistair Griffiths, RHS Director of Science and Collections, highlighted the long-term view: “The benefits of investing in domestic tree production in the UK are clear, both economically and in building climate resilience. By growing more trees locally, we can better support national efforts… while also creating skilled jobs and boosting innovation across the horticultural and forestry sectors.”

The Strong Roots report concludes with clear, evidence-based recommendations designed to move the sector beyond the current stalemate—where growers hesitate to invest without confirmed demand, and demand cannot be met without a reliable supply.

Key Recommendations for the Government across England, Scotland, and Wales:

• Develop a national action plan: Create a designated, comprehensive action plan specifically for British tree production, focusing on commercial and amenity species.
• Boost grower support: Provide targeted financial and technical support to British tree growers, with a focus on boosting the production of essential rootstock and standard trees.
• Increase diversity: Incentivise greater diversity in the species being produced within the UK to ensure forests and urban green spaces are more resilient to climate change and disease.
• Align policy and procurement: Increase alignment between government planting grants, the domestic supply capacity, and procurement practices to ensure a reliable market for British-grown stock.
• Invest in skills and R&D: Fund training and apprenticeship opportunities to address the critical labour shortage and invest in research and innovation to boost production efficiencies.

By adopting these strategic measures, the government can leverage the forestry industry as a powerful engine not only for environmental recovery but also for regional economic stability, ensuring that the UK’s ambitious climate and biodiversity targets are built on a foundation of truly strong, homegrown roots.

Read more news on: forestry

Get such updates through woodandpanel.us

Tags: Agroforestry, Domestic Tree Production, Net Zero Strategy, Skilled Forestry Workers, tree planting targets, UK Forestry Industry, Woodland Trust