The Clean Growth Strategy, published yesterday sets out how the Government will lead the way to a low carbon future. The strategy includes funding to enhance the benefits and value of natural resources by establishing a new network of forests in England such as new woodland on farmland, and for larger-scale woodland and forest creation.

CLA Forestry and Woodlands Adviser Mike Seville said: “Forestry and woodlands make an enormous contribution to our countryside, helping to clean the air we breathe and prevent flooding.

“We welcome the commitment the Government has shown in this strategy to develop a new support system for food, farming and the environment which recognises the value of trees and the public benefits they bring.

“The CLA has proposed a Land Management Contract as a way to support any farmer or forester who chooses to manage land in a way that delivers better environmental outcomes, from improvements in soil quality to planting trees, in return for a financial reward based on what they contribute, not the amount of land they own.

“We have long advocated unlocking investment in the forestry and woodlands industry. The funding boost to create more on-farm woodland will produce new opportunities such as encouraging the use of timber framed housing in UK construction."

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said:"We are determine to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it, and achieving clean growth is an integral part of our work to deliver a Green Brexit”

"Through our ambitious plans to tackle waste, better manage our precious natural resources and create a more environmentally-focused agricultural system, this government is taking the lead in creating a cleaner, greener Britain.”

The report said that as we leave the EU, it would “design a new system of future agricultural support to focus on delivering better environmental outcomes, including addressing climate change more directly”.