As part of Willmott Dixon’s support for the Grown in Britain Campaign, Steve Cook from the company’s sustainability business Re-Thinking is speaking tomorrow (15 October) at the House of Lords where he will share a platform with DEFRA secretary Owen Paterson.

Steve will use his talk to explain the importance of construction industry backing for home grown timber and how it can provide the economic engine needed to create a long-term self-sustaining forestry industry. This in turn will create local investment, help sustain jobs, enhance biodiversity and create a robust future industry through the better management of our forests.

The UK is the 4th largest timber importer and the campaign highlights the need to invest in forest and woodlands for sustainable economic growth. The UK currently has the lowest amount of forest coverage in Europe at 12% compared with 37% and the campaign seeks to plant more trees for future generations to benefit from.

Tomorrow’s presentation will also mark the launch of the wood industry action plan by Dr Peter Bonfield called Grown in Britain which will ‘Create a sustainable future for our forests and woodland’. Alongside Steve and the DEFRA secretary of state, the other speakers are BRE chief executive Dr Peter Bonfield, Sir Harry Studholme, chair of the Forestry Commission and Stuart Goodall, CEO at Confor.

To read more about Steve’s work, read his blog here.