Is tree planting a strategic opportunity for Forest gardening?

This is a very good question and one that I have considered. Tree planting is good, however many tree planting schemes come with another side. Carbon offsetting.
The question that I asked myself is, how beneficial is planting carbon-offsetting trees, when the act of planting them is used by major polluters to advertise that their polluting industry is green, when it is not?
The trees are paid for by the polluters to incentivise their clients through green-washing, to continue the pollution.
On this basis, are there any tree planting schemes that are not part of carbon off-setting schemes?
Presumably, if polluters are able to make income from carbon offsetting, then why can NFGS not do the same? Plant trees and get paid to do so.
If organisations like NFGS made policy statements that either legitimise or delegitimise carbon offsetting, would this make more of an social impact or less?
We have decided to avoid offset schemes as we can not confidently answer the question in their favour and there is evidence of big polluters enabling them.

Nature Recovery planning is my current focus as we have a Gr Manchester consultation closing this weekend, such should be happening all over? see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nature-recovery-network

Yes - the whole world a garden again - but with a lot of conscious design...Oh the abundance!

As a new, little permaculture/forest gardening CIC here in the far west of Cornwall with an ongoing 2 acre planting project, i have helped to start two new tree planting projects locally this year - as this was the opportunity - and i just introduce information about forest gardening into them as much i can - and specifically promote tree planting that is useful for developing productive gardens in the future. I will post updates.

I try to use the term purposeful planing when advocating for forest gardening as a suggestion that anything else might be missing a trick(s). I also have a vision of the whole of Great Britain evolving into a forest garden as the project gains momentum. Forest gardening is compatible with urban and rural areas, green belts, damaged landscapes, road and rail corridors, back gardens and front....

I feel it is important for the NFGS continually ask itself where and how can we engage to meet our social purpose, and how we work in partnership, find strategic opportunities to plant above our weight. It something that I and other NFGS Directors reflect upon when we meet and so I wanted to also open this discussion out more widely. These thoughts are indirectly prompted by my attendance of the FoE tree summit yesterday (I saw Jane and Rootsman Rak were there). There is clearly a huge interest in trees and tree planting through a range of approaches which increase biodiversity, produce, well being by increasing tree cover in woodlands, hedges, agroforestry, wilding, streets etc.

I ask myself is tree planting the biggest strategic opportunity that NFGS has to get more publicly accessible forest gardens in the UK? Clearly tree cover brings a number of strongly evidenced benefits, so there are several entry points for us. In the UK (and globally) there is a food system angle so presenting Forest gardens as part of the agroforestry stable is one approach. DEFRA is trialling ELMS through 6 different tree incorporated food systems and Forest gardens sits best within the Silvo horticulture taxonomy. Yet, I don’t feel there is enough evidence of field scale FG production rates to make a strong case. On the other hand, it was exciting to hear yesterday about the 10 major Community forest and Orchards (there are many others too) in England (with equivalents in Wales and Scotland). This has much more scope to bring in the community and community food angle, along with well-being. Could, should, the NFGS be looking to get these community forests to utilise a little of their spaces to create pockets of forest gardens within the bigger whole? Can these be retro-created/grown, either quickly or through a more progressive approach? I see that such spaces can be created with a view to be more intentional about food, learning, well-being, play and sanctuary too. I have no doubt that all of these forests have this already to some degree, so our offer may not be new, but could be much more intentional/ purposeful and so add value to their efforts.

I hope this prompts discussion, so please air your thoughts and let’s see where NFGS can take this. Where you have energy and time to be a champion for any new partnerships and “workstreams”, we welcome this. Our own director capacity to take on work is finite so we always welcome fresh energy and time.

Thanks. Richard