The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has officially unveiled an innovative online hub within resources, information and guidance towards climate change adaptation.
The Climate Change Hub is managed by Forest Research and will act to centralise and distil the most recent and relevant information relating to the ever-changing climate, providing guidance towards adaptation to encourage the uptake of adaptive practice by forest and woodland owners and managers.
Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said:
“Climate change will affect our trees, wood, and forests. We need to ensure that our management practices ensure they thrive for the long term to ensure all the benefits they provide are maximised. Trees are a critical part of our endeavours to tackle climate change; trees are the most efficient and cost-effective method of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The Climate Change Hub will allow all of us to see this critical information in one place for the first time, enabling land managers and foresters to make the best decisions for our planet on tree and forest management.”
The development of this hub follows the recently established commitments from the Environment Improvement Plan and maps its guidance around the Government’s net zero strategies.
Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said: “Trees and tree management are crucial parts of our plan to reach net zero by 2050, and resources such as the Climate Change Hub support the forest industry to make better, more informed and ultimately more sustainable decisions when it comes to tree planting and woodland management.”
