A new £8.8 million fund to support domestic tree production in England has been opened by the Forestry Commission today (Thursday 19 May), in partnership with Defra.

The funding will help tree nurseries and suppliers invest in projects which improve, expand, automate or mechanise their operations. This will support efforts to build nursery capacity and grow long-term tree seed and sapling supply – delivering on a commitment within the England Trees Action Plan), the Government’s long-term plan for the nation’s trees, woodlands and forests.

Successful projects will be awarded up to £175,000 in grant funding to cover up to 50% of costs, with money coming from the Tree Production Capital Grant as part of the Government’s £750 million Nature for Climate Fund. Example projects suitable for funding could include investments in machinery such as transplanting systems and grading machines, improved polytunnel infrastructure and irrigation systems, or in biosecurity through improved water treatment and refrigeration equipment. The grant is open to tree seed and sapling suppliers of all sizes, as well as new entrants looking to diversify into the sector.

Forestry Minister Lord Goldsmith said:

With demand for trees set to grow dramatically over the coming years as we pursue our ambitious tree planting targets, fostering a robust forestry industry is critical.

Supporting the sector with this new funding will safeguard sapling supply chains, create new green jobs and help to realise our long-term vision for our trees and woodlands.

Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said:

The Tree Production Capital Grant will help to build the forestry sector of the future.

As well as increasing the quantity of trees produced domestically, this grant will enhance their diversity so that forests, woodlands and treescapes which are resilient to stresses like pests, diseases and climate change can be grown.

I encourage nurseries of all sizes, as well as organisations in allied sectors looking to diversify into tree seed and sapling production, to apply.

Up to £8.8 million is available through the Tree Production Capital Grant, subject to sufficient high-quality bids being received. The fund will enable suppliers to bolster production at pace and has been designed to complement the Tree Production Innovation Fund, which provides support for research projects that enhance tree production methods.

The Forestry Commission will be hosting a webinar on the new Tree Production Capital Grant on Wednesday 8 June – sign up here.

The Tree Production Capital Grant is now open for applications until Thursday 30 June. For more information and to apply, go to: www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-production-capital-grant

The Charity Commission has criticised the trustees of British Pakistani Christians Limited (BPCA) for failing to ensure proper safeguarding measures were in place at the charity, and for their poor oversight of the charity’s governance. The regulator has cautioned the trustees to take steps to improve the charity’s governance and management.

BPCA has broad charitable objects, and in practice, supports community groups and individuals on issues such as debt, forced marriage and poverty in Redbridge, London and works overseas.

The regulator opened a case into the charity in 2020 after concerns were raised about a safeguarding incident linked to the charity overseas. The Commission investigated the trustees’ response to the incident and found failures in its immediate handling as well as a general lack of adequate safeguarding policies and procedures.

The regulator also identified wider governance concerns, including a lack of robust financial controls in relation to its overseas operations and confusion amongst the trustees about the aims and activities of the charity.

In February 2021, the Commission issued the charity with an Official Warning directing its trustees to take action to address these failures.

The Commission recently assessed the charity’s progress in addressing the measures set out in the warning, finding improvements around the charity’s safeguarding policies, training of trustees and staff and in its overseas operations.

The regulator has now issued further formal advice to the trustees, requiring them to address outstanding concerns around the charity’s handling of conflicts of interest. The Commission has now closed its case.

Tracy Howarth, Assistant Director of Casework, said:

Everyone who comes into contact with a charity has a right to feel safe. Trustees must make safeguarding a governance priority, ensuring that the charity protects people from harm, and responds promptly and effectively when things do go wrong. Unfortunately, that hasn’t always been the case at BPCA. We found the charity’s trustees lacked sufficient oversight and expertise to protect people who came into contact with the charity.

I am pleased that our firm action in this case has resulted in clear improvements in the charity’s approach to safeguarding. We now expect the trustees to address outstanding issues, and ensure the charity’s governance improves into the future.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its purpose is to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust so that people can improve lives and strengthen society.
2. The Charity Commission does not investigate criminal matters, which are for the police and other agencies. The Commission’s remit in relation to safeguarding is explained in its safeguarding strategy, published on GOV.UK.

Today the UK’s COP26 President, Alok Sharma, met with Colombia’s President, Iván Duque, to discuss the importance of mobilising climate finance at scale to accelerate Colombia’s transition to a green future.

On the occasion of the President’s visit to the UK, both governments celebrated our successful collaboration in addressing climate change and protecting Colombia’s incredible natural resources through the UK-Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth. They welcomed the launch of three new initiatives that will continue to build on this legacy and accelerate progress. These initiatives will bring together the public and private sectors, helping to mobilise finance to support emissions reductions, sustainable growth and the protection of biodiversity in Colombia.

These initiatives build on a long history of collaboration and mutual ambition in addressing climate change, which both countries demonstrated at COP26 in Glasgow through ambitious new commitments. Through our successful Partnership, the UK and Colombia have shown how collaboration is key to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Through its continued commitment to high ambition and to the Glasgow Climate Pact, Colombia is setting an example to the region and to the world. These new joint initiatives announced today are important tools that will help to turn ambition into action.

UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT)

The UK and Colombia welcomed the launch of 19 new and extended projects worth £7.8m through UK PACT. These transformational and innovative projects will support Colombia’s climate action priorities, with a focus on implementing and promoting nature-based solutions to climate change. Four new projects will focus on cementing a nature-positive approach, while supporting Colombia to meet its ambitious climate commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Meanwhile, 15 extended projects under the existing portfolio will continue to drive forward progress on the energy, transport, green finance, nature and climate policy agendas, helping to unlock further finance and ensure transformational impact.

Climate Finance Leadership Initiative Colombia

The two governments also welcomed the launch of the Climate Finance Leadership Initiative (CFLI) Colombia. Led by UN Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, Michael Bloomberg, the CFLI convenes leading companies to mobilise and scale private capital for climate solutions. In Colombia, the CFLI co-chairs, Juan Carlos Mora Uribe, CEO of Bancolombia, and Mario Pardo Bayona, CEO of BBVA Colombia, will work with domestic and international financial sector leaders to rapidly accelerate private climate finance flows in support of Colombia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). These private sector organizations form the CFLI Colombia Membership and will work together through the CFLI to concentrate action on accelerating private climate finance flows in Colombia, supported by the Colombian and UK Governments to facilitate transformational change.

Climate Finance Accelerator

Complementing the CFLI, the UK and Colombia also launched this week a call for proposals in Colombia as part of their collaboration through the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) programme. Working alongside the Department for National Planning in Colombia, the CFA is helping to unlock flows of finance to low carbon projects, in support of Colombia’s NDC.  Successful projects will receive targeted capacity building designed to improve their investment potential and support them in accessing private finance. In this way, the programme will help to accelerate climate finance flows, drive investment into low-carbon projects and deliver tangible progress in meeting climate targets.