Forest Plan / Appendices / Appendix 1 – Delivery Risk Register
Appendix 1 – Delivery Risk Register

Appendix 1 – Risk Register for the Delivery of Cumbria Community Forest Plan

This summary risk register is a projection of key risks in the delivery of Cumbria Community Forest Plan at the time of publication and will be reviewed and developed by Raise in consultation with key stakeholders and CCF governance.
Abbreviations: CCF – Cumbria Community Forest, LNRS – Local Nature Recovery Strategy, FP – Forest Plan (Cumbria Community Forest Plan), CLNP – Cumbria Local Nature Partnership
If you are on mobile, you can download a mobile friendly spreadsheet here.
Download File
  
      Risk Title
      Risk Description
      Owner
      Mitigations
    
      Land availability
      Suitable land for tree planting and woodland creation may become limited due to competing land uses, incentives and landowner choice.
      Raise & partners
      
Raise and partners work closely with landowners, developers, and local planning authorities to identify suitable land and secure woodland creation opportunities.

Raise promote multifunctional land use through CCF, e.g. agroforestry, green infrastructure.

Raise continue outreach and engagement with landowners, and agree one-team approach to landowners with relevant key stakeholders.

      Supply of saplings
      Risk of insufficient suitable supply of saplings for establishment of CCF at scale.
      Raise & CCF woodland creation partners
      
Raise develop tree nursery partnerships in Cumbria.
      
CCF governance establish a supply strategy.
      
      Supporting LNRS
      As LNRS will be finalised after start of Forest Plan delivery, risk of difficulty for CCF to implement LNRS from the outset.
      Raise & CCF governance
      
FP identifies where CCF supports draft LNRS priorities & measures.

Raise/CCF governance establish method to track delivery of LNRS measures by CCF partners.

Raise/CCF governance monitor changes to LNRS relevant to CCF.

Agree ecological data collection methods & sharing with relevant LNRS delivery partners such as Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre.

      Biodiversity and habitats
      Woodland in some locations would have negative impact on biodiversity, priority habitats, peat soil.
      Raise & CCF woodland creation partners
      
Raise Forestry team follow due diligence process when developing plans for woodland creation through Trees for Climate scheme, including identifying statutory consultation requirements with relevant environmental organisations and specialists and undertaking compliance checks.

Participate in LNRS delivery group, establishing woodland appropriately as part of a mosaic of habitats.

Communicate with non-woodland biodiversity experts and seek appropriate guidance to assure protection of non-woodland priority habitats, priority species and peat.

Liaise with CLNP, FC and species experts to address potential for spread of invasive species, e.g. grey squirrels, via increased woodland connectivity. 

      Tree health in a changing climate
      Extreme weather events, pests, and diseases associated with climate change could adversely affect newly planted trees and existing woodlands.
      Raise & CCF woodland creation partners
      
Raise Forestry team keep informed of best-practice in terms of climate-resilient forestry.

Implement climate-resilient woodland creation schemes, using diverse species and appropriate woodland management practices.

Monitor tree health and adapt woodland creation strategies as needed.

      Funding uncertainty
      Changes in government policy or funding priorities could impact the availability of external funding for CCF projects.
      Raise, partners, CCF governance
      
Raise actively pursue diverse funding streams, including private sector investment and community fundraising, to reduce reliance on any single source.
      
CCF governance develop a robust fundraising strategy and explore alternative funding models.
      
      Securing critical funding
      Essential support required from key strategic partners such as Local Authorities to enable critical funding routes which typically fund Community Forests e.g. section 106 monies, green finance, leasing arrangements; without which the development and delivery of CCF Plan and Vision is limited and/or challenged.
      Partners & Raise
      
Local authorities formally recognise and support CCF as delivery mechanism for key programmes in climate, nature, public health, flood resilience, housing development.

Key strategic partners commit to supporting CCF delivery via funding routes available to their organisation.

Raise share knowledge and examples with key strategic partners – of how critical funding has been secured to support the delivery of longer-established Community Forests within England’s Community Forest network.

Local authorities and Raise: CCF collaborate to scrutinise funding mechanisms and avoid conflicts with local government procurement rules.

      Community engagement
      Expanding community engagement and support for CCF could be challenging, especially in areas with competing priorities; and among under-served groups.
      Raise, Raise Collective, CCF governance, partners
      
Raise further develop geographically targeted and socially inclusive community engagement strategies, including arts-led engagement model through Raise Collective and volunteering opportunities.

Raise with partners offer support to woodland apprenticeships.

Raise and CCF governance facilitate and celebrate accessible green spaces, centering neurodivergent experiences and expertise. 

Raise commission further development of opportunity mapping model incorporating social factors and ensure used as operational tool.

      CCF governance and partner dynamics
      Changes in organisations priorities or leadership could affect the cohesion and effectiveness of the CCF governance and one-team approach of woodland creation partners
      Raise, CCF governance and woodland creation partners
      
Maintain approach of communication, collaboration with and among forest plan delivery partners; seek new delivery partners too.

Focus delivery of co-benefits for/by all partners.

Establish the CCF governance with strong communication and collaboration mechanisms.

CCF governance regularly review its processes to ensure fit for future purpose and improve as necessary

      Lower carbon sequestration than theoretically possible
      Agroforestry will likely include some lower density planting; supporting LNRS will involve broadleaf and slower-growing species. So, anticipate lower carbon sequestration than is theoretically possible from high density, fast-growing trees.
      Raise and woodland creation partners
      
Maintain overview of planting types for each season of woodland creation to monitor anticipated carbon sequestration against relevant targets. 

Ensure lower density agroforestry is balanced with higher density woodland creation on suitable lower grade agricultural land and across the annual planting programme as a whole.

Support a broad range of woodland types and tree species suitable to individual sites, and work with other planting partners to ensure habitat recovery and carbon sequestration demands appropriately addressed. 

      Raise: CCF leadership capacity
      Capacity of Raise team, in particular Raise Director – to lead on Plan and Vision for CCF (build partnerships, innovate, provide creative direction) whilst managing ‘Trees for Climate’ woodland creation programme and securing continued and additional funding – may challenge delivery
      Raise, Raise Collective, CCF governance, partners
      
Early establishment of CCF governance as per Action Plan. 

Prioritise formalising partnerships to build delivery capacity. 

Raise work with partners to identify funding routes which support Raise team expansion

Raise continue to build capacity for ‘distributed leadership’ through staff development and recruitment; use of experienced freelance consultants for specific leadership activities where suitable. 

Raise use adaptive management approach to set and revise annual ‘Objectives and Key Results’ as appropriate from 5-year action plan, to tailor Plan and Vision delivery alongside existing delivery & funding commitments.

Partners commit delivery and funding support to aspects of the Plan and Vision which align with & deliver their organisational objectives.

Raise Director and Raise team regular involvement with CCF delivery such as Raise Collective sessions to ensure shared purpose, support role satisfaction and wellbeing.

      Forestry workforce capacity
      Delivery of Cumbria Community Forest requires skilled forestry workforce in county.
      Raise, Forest industry partners and training bodies
      
Raise work with forest industry partners, Confederation of Forest Industries (Confor) and Cumbria’s Land and Nature Skills Service (LANSS) to advocate for and influence relevant in-county training and career pathways to support woodland creation and management for Cumbria Community Forest. 

Raise enact a team development plan ensuring team retain the competencies required to deliver woodland creation at scale in complex landscapes.