The hearts of oak in England’s forests | Letter

Simon Hodgson of Forest Enterprise England says broadleaved trees, including oak, are still seen as a strong part of the country's homegrown timber supply

Re your article ('There's no oak left in England, just no more', 28 June), the Forestry Commission in England over the past eight years has planted almost 1.7m oak trees (on top of those that we encourage to grow naturally from self-set acorns), the vast majority with the aim to supply high-quality timber and all in places expertly selected by our professional foresters to see them thrive. We see broadleaved trees, including oak, as a strong part of our homegrown timber supply and last year we saw record prices paid for our hardwoods. Yes, there will always be a greater emphasis on conifer trees for timber supply, but to say almost nothing is happening for oak is unfair. This is a country that cares about, and is committed to, expanding resilient forests.
Simon Hodgson
Chief executive, Forest Enterprise England, Forestry Commission

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