Minutes: Forest Services board meeting 26 March 2025
Published 17 April 2026
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Forest Services board 30th meeting minutes, Wednesday 26 March 2025, 09:00–11:30 in person at the Holbrook Manor Hotel, Somerset and via MS Teams.
Minutes
Sir William Worsley opened the meeting with updates on recent engagements and key sector activities. He highlighted woodland-related contributions to land management, rewilding initiatives at Boothby, senior visits and the Timber in Construction Summit. He reported on earth observation work, support to Northern Ireland on tree health and concerns about financial uncertainty affecting staff morale.
The board approved the January minutes. Discussions covered England Woodland Creation Offer process improvements, resourcing reductions in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, planting targets and bridging loans. No conflicts of interest were declared.
Anna Brown reported progress on woodland creation targets, demand for the Development Woodland Officer programme, and work with local authorities. The board discussed uncertainties around local nature recovery strategies, future Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes and resourcing challenges.
Risks discussed included plant health pressures (Ips beetle), financial challenges, workforce morale and private-sector confidence. Improved customer charter performance was highlighted.
Updates were given on audit planning and the annual report and accounts timeline.
Richard Pullen updated the board on spending review activity. ELM uncertainty, delays in publishing deer and squirrel strategies and positive plant health collaboration were discussed.
Derrick Osgood reported in-year financial uncertainty, delays in Nature for Climate Fund (NCF) budgets, grant application trends and staff churn.
Rose Abbott updated the board on Q4 business plan activities and reported strong progress in statutory areas despite uncertainty, achievements in woodland creation, plant health delivery and risks linked to recruitment controls.
Sam Malpass presented the FS business plan 2025/26. Budget confirmation delays, reduced NCF contributions, plant health funding and impacts of reduced resourcing were discussed. The board considered prioritisation and communication.
She updated the board on spending review phase 2. Scenario planning was essential, including identifying activities that could be reduced or stopped. Avoiding ‘salami slicing’ and protecting core delivery were key themes.
Ian Tubby presented his paper covering options to accelerate woodland creation. Ideas covered fast-track processes, conifer targets, finance models, shadow woodlands, contract growing, urban planting and collaboration with Forestry England.
Under any other business a pause in government procurement card usage and staff expense support were noted.
The next scheduled board meeting would be on 29–30 July.