EDITORIAL

Lobbying: the frustrations and rewards

STUART GOODALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CONFOR

On 6 May, elections will take place for new governments in Scotland and Wales, and ahead of that we’re expecting publication of a new strategy in England.

Lobbying governments can feel like “painting the Forth Bridge” – a task without end. In 2011, however, painting of the iconic bridge stopped for 25 years following application of a new paint formulation - I’m all ears if anyone can come up with something similarly effective for lobbying!

Much can depend on the interests and motivations of the person being lobbied. For example, Fergus Ewing in Scotland is keen to support a sustainable, low carbon industry, whereas UK forestry minister Zac Goldsmith supports managing native woodlands to produce hardwoods and appears to dislike conifers while prioritising the environmental leg of sustainability over the economic. Politics has been described as the art of the possible, but when lobbying Confor doesn’t simply focus effort on where success is most easily achieved. I’m pleased to say then that our continued efforts are yielding results across the UK.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland significant additional funding is being made available to support new planting and we’re pushing hard so this translates into more trees in the ground. We’ve also seen financial support for nurseries across Great Britain and for action to identify workforce needs, hopefully further support will be forthcoming to help deliver on those needs.

There is increasing interest in promoting greater use of wood, driven largely by its carbon benefits, but also recognising that income from timber sales can support sustainable management and rural economies. And we have lobbied successfully for the extension of Confor’s Climate Change Agreement with achievable targets being set for participating sawmills – the financial savings made can be invested in energy savings.

Until we discover the ‘Forth Bridge’ solution to lobbying we’ll keep working away for the sector – progress is being made, but there’s always more to do!