Forestry is a devolved matter. The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has responsibility for forestry in England as well as certain activities such as international affairs and plant health which remain reserved by Westminster. Scottish Ministers have responsibility for forestry in Scotland and the Welsh Assembly Government has responsibility for forestry in Wales.
Forestry Commission England, Forestry Commission Scotland and Forestry Commission Wales report directly to their appropriate Minister, providing advice on policy and implementing that policy within the relevant country.
Our structure
We have a Board of Commissioners with duties and powers prescribed by statute, consisting of a Chair and up to ten other Forestry Commissioners, including its Director General, who are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of Ministers.
The Commission also has an Executive Board which assists the Director General and Country Directors in the effective management of the Commission by providing leadership and setting direction for the Commission as an organisation.
Our Devolved structure (Forestry Commission England, Forestry Commission Scotland and Forestry Commission Wales), allows us to focus more clearly on delivering the policies of the individual Governments while still having the ability to take a GB-wide approach to "cross-border" issues.
The Forestry Commission in each country is led by a Director who is also a member of the GB Board of Commissioners. Delivery of policy, as well as progress against strategy objectives, are overseen in each country by the Commission's National Committee for England, National Committee for Scotland and National Committee for Wales.
The Forestry Commission also has three executive agencies that work to targets set by Commissioners and Ministers:
- The forests in our care in England and Scotland are managed by Forest Enterprise agencies on behalf of the Forestry Commission.
- Forest Research is a GB-wide agency which provides high-quality scientific research and surveys, to inform the development of forestry policies and practices, and promote high standards of sustainable forest management.
