Growing the future | Our sustainable approach

Man digging in front of log pile

Our sustainable approach

"Our vision is to put sustainability at the heart of the nation’s forests and all that we do."

We are committed to evolving our business  

The valuable benefits delivered by the nation’s forests are secure and resilient due to our environmental and financial sustainability. We will evolve our organisation to become carbon-lean and climate-friendly wherever we can, including our forest operations, landscape management decisions and corporate activity.

We are proud that, while delivering on our social purpose and responsibilities as a public sector organisation, around 80% of the funding that supports our work comes from our trading activities. Financial sustainability is critical to the long-term security of the benefits delivered by the nation’s forests. With more diverse, robust and long-term income streams, our finances will be more sustainable.

Building on our success

We will continue to diversify and expand where our money comes from and optimise our business.

Initiatives such as our national membership scheme, corporate partnerships and legacy giving, alongside our sustainable timber business and recreation offer will consolidate our sound financial footing. This resilience will underpin, deepen and extend the public benefits the nation’s forests deliver.

Forestry England demonstrates and values its agility, adaptability, and innovation as it responds to what society needs from the nation’s forests and tells the story of the impact we make. These qualities are essential to our sustainable approach and our ability to take opportunities as they arise. They are critical to the continued success of the nation’s forests over the course of this plan and beyond.

Electric Forestry England van

The valuable benefits delivered by the nation’s forests are secure and resilient due to our environmental and financial sustainability.

Acting now means

  • setting a clear plan for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
  • investing in low-carbon and renewable energy sources for our business and changing how we do things to optimise the energy we use.
  • innovating to expand and optimise our commercial activity to strengthen our financial resilience.

What you will see in the next 5 years

  • meaningfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions on our way to being net-zero by 2030.
  • increased proportion of self-generated income.
  • increased awareness and understanding of Forestry England.

Further information

A field mouse clings on to a plant with its tail

Creating rich, diverse habitats

Two friends walking on a path

Connecting people to our forests

Single sapling on the forest floor

Building resilient forests

aerial view of a growing forest and river
Article
28 October 2019

We are committed to creating new woodlands for people to enjoy, wildlife to flourish and businesses to grow.

Conifer forest with looking up at the canopy with younger tree and small log pile
Article
03 March 2020

Find out how we look after the nation’s forests.