Scoring for success in England

The England Forestry Strategy (EFS), published over two years ago, set out government's programmes and priorities for forestry in England. It established a new vision for England's woods and forests based on four programmes: including woodlands for timber production, economic regeneration, recreation and biodiversity. In a bid to improve the implementation of the Strategy, in January 2000 the Forestry Commission revised the Woodland Grant Scheme for new planting applications. Using predetermined criteria applicants have since been required to assess how their planting application meets the aims of the EFS. The results of the first year were encouraging, with applications demonstrating closer alignment to the EFS's priorities. Includes a bar chart indicating the scores from all applications. Through consideration of a number of examples looks at what has actually happened on the ground. The Forestry Commission has undertaken to review the discretionary approach to applications, introduced in January 2000. A consultation document was introduced in March 2001, which can be obtained from the Commission's National Office for England in Cambridge, or online at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/web-consultations?OpenView.