Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to assess and address the impacts of climate change on tree seed viability, germination, growth and survival, and to ensure that tree nurseries can maintain a resilient supply of trees.

To meet the Government’s target of increasing tree and woodland cover in England to 16.5% by 2050, Defra is supporting the forestry sector to enable tree nurseries to source, grow and supply greater numbers and species of saplings. This support will also help build resilience across the sector in response to extreme weather, pests and diseases, and market uncertainty.