Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many native trees her Department has supported the planting of in each of the last three years as part of climate mitigation efforts; how much her Department has spent on supporting native tree planting in each of those years; how much carbon her Department estimates has been sequestered as a result of those programmes in that time period; and if she will make a statement.

Improving the management of forests is a priority for DFID’s work to tackle climate change and protect the environment and biodiversity. DFID supports a range of interventions, including working with governments, businesses and community groups to strengthen governance of the forest sector and address the illegal timber trade, as well as public-private partnerships that promote sustainable investment in agriculture, by integrating measures to protect and restore forests.

This support does not directly target the replanting of native trees, and so data is not collected on the number of trees planted. Improved management and protection however creates the conditions needed for regeneration of native trees to take place naturally. For example, through DFID support, 18.7 million hectares of forest in Indonesia are protected under a national scheme backed by an international timber trade agreement, and this agreement includes protections that create the conditions under which natural regeneration can take place.

DFID’s has invested £57.2 million (2017-18), £53.1 million (2018-19) and £50.8 million (2019-20) in bilateral forest programmes over the past three years.