The Regional Forestry Strategy ‘The Value of Trees in our Changing Region’ was launched in July 2005 and provides a strategic framework for the future management of this important resource. The region contains over 90,000 hectares of woodland and over 2 million individual trees. Woodland cover varies from13.6% in Ryedale to only 0.3% in Hull.

The Strategy adopts a thematic approach in order to highlight the benefits trees and woodlands can offer to the big agendas affecting the region. In addition to the natural environment, the other main themes address issues such as community involvement, sustainability, trees in the landscape, the health agenda, and climate change.

Priorities for action have been identified as including the need to:

• improve our knowledge and understanding about the resource itself;
• improve skills and business expertise within the forestry sector;
• increase woodland creation in the reclamation of derelict and underused land;
• protect and improve woodland SSSIs and Ancient Woodland Sites
• increase accessible woodland near to where people live;
• increase the use of wood in sustainable construction and as a source of renewable energy;
• increase tree and woodland planting to help reduce flood risk.
  

Within the Natural Environment theme, a clear priority is given to the future protection and restoration of our irreplaceable Ancient Woodlands alongside the need to bring woodland SSSIs into favourable condition. The need to meet regional targets for the restoration and creation of priority woodland habitats and improve the status of related priority species is also recognised as a priority. The Strategy recognises that woodlands are a vital part of the network of habitats across the region and need to be seen within that wider landscape context.