In this episode, we sit down with Baroness (Barbara) Young, the newly appointed Chair of the Forestry Commission, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of trees and woodland in England.

Barbara shares her vision for what success looks like on trees — from timber in construction and flood risk management to air quality and human health — and explains why getting the right tree in the right place matters more than ever.

We explore whether woodland is becoming a sound business decision for farmers and landowners, the challenges of natural capital markets for smaller operators, and why policy certainty is so critical when woodland decisions can span generations.

Barbara also gives her take on the land use framework, the role of devolution in place-based decision making, and the thorny question of grey squirrels and deer — including a surprisingly practical suggestion for the NHS on venison.

And to finish, she shares the woods and trees that mean the most to her personally.

Topics covered:

• Trees as a multi-benefit crop: climate, timber, health, and biodiversity
• Making woodland economics work for farmers and estates
• Natural capital markets and the risk of a two-tier system
• Policy certainty and cross-government coordination
• The land use framework and devolution
• Grey squirrels: the missing action plan
• Deer management and the venison market
• Favourite trees and woodlands