Autumn Statement 2015: Osborne’s ‘short-term’ proposals threaten the environment, Woodland Trust says

Responding George Osborne’s announcements the Woodland Trust’s CEO, Beccy Speight, said:

“Building homes people can buy is not enough – they should also be homes people want to buy, that include trees and green space for healthier living. Short term thinking and year on year cuts to Defra seriously undermine the Government’s long term ambition ‘to be the first generation to leave England’s natural environment in a better state than which it was found’.

“What will now happen to those manifesto promises made to help realise this ambition? A 25 year plan for nature’s recovery can not just be a plan – it must also be delivered; 11m trees will not plant themselves; the protection of our countryside, Greenbelt and urban environment needs a strong Department to support it. Local authorities also need support and funding to deliver the Government’s ambitions at a local level.”

However, the charity welcomed the Chancellor’s commitment to the countryside as part of his pledge to protect funding for national parks and forests.

Ms Speight added: “It’s good to hear the importance of our forests being recognised. Government has consistently failed to realise that investment in the natural environment will help to deliver on a range of policy challenges simultaneously and will save the taxpayer money, too.

“Evidence abounds to prove that the state of our environment underpins our health and prosperity as a society. Our recently commissioned report shows woods and trees to be worth £270bn to the UK economy.

“A strong long term economic plan and the spending review mantra of a country ‘that lives within its means’ cannot be decoupled from a strong long term plan for the natural environment.”