In April 2025, we led a response to the Land use consultation on behalf of the Environmental Policy Forum (EPF).
Having a Land Use Framework means recognising the integrated nature of natural assets, from trees, woodlands, forests, soil, biodiversity, and freshwater and the linked challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
From the EPF response
Ten professional bodies and learned societies in total signed up in support of the response, representing professionals working in disciplines such as ecology, resource management, water, forestry, environmental management, fisheries, engineering, landscape and environmental sciences.
In our response, we express our support for the introduction of a Land Use Framework and a more holistic approach to land use. As the EPF noted in our ten environmental priorities for the UK government, published in June 2024: ‘Competing land uses require a more holistic approach to secure all the potential benefits of land. Currently flood risk management, forestry policy, agricultural policy and environmental policy operate in competing silos, with different policies undermining each other and agri-food interests dominating politically. Only government can coordinate activity across these different land use policies to maximise opportunities and synergies, avoiding perpetual conflict between policies to no benefit to the stated environmental objectives.’
Among many key points, we make the case for ongoing dialogue and engagement between Government and stakeholders. This includes professional bodies and learned societies, who play a key role in facilitating good practice sharing and consultation with those who will deliver the framework in practice: practitioners.
You can view our full response via the link below.
EPF green skills survey | Findings and recommendations
