IS the forestry minister really the forestry minister if she's out of the role long before the industry has learned her name? Trudy Harrison (who, for the record, is the forestry minister) could just be about to put that to the test. 

In Wednesday's Forestry Features newsletter, we wrote about her appointment last week and the fact it was done without any fanfare. FJ wondered if she would be around long enough to make any difference to the UK's tree-planting failures. By the time it dropped in readers' inboxes, it was pretty much out of date. 

Within the next 24 hours, the prime minister, Liz Truss, confirmed she was resigning (becoming the shortest-serving PM of all-time), clamour was growing for Boris Johnson to return (yes, really), and a victorious lettuce that had seen off the outgoing PM was being beamed onto the Houses of Parliament. Blimey. 

This all makes good copy, but it also casts a rather large shadow over the forestry sector. Another extended period of political instability isn't good for business (or anyone, for that matter), nor does it suggest the British government has its sights firmly set on hitting the planting targets it promised it would when it was elected.

Already the futures of Ms Harrison and Ranil Jayawardena – who appears to have disappeared off the face of the planet – are in doubt. 

During last year's period of stability – it's all relative – fewer than 14,000 hectares of the 30,000 ha target were planted across the UK. England, the one nation Ms Harrison is responsible for now due to devolution, didn't even plant 2,500 ha. At the time, Lord Goldsmith, the former forestry minister, was widely blamed for the failure, while George Eustice promised ministers still had ambitions to hit the goal. 

Now, the sector isn't even confident of having the government's support at all. 

Reacting to Ms Truss' departure yesterday, Stuart Goodall, the Confor chief executive, said: “Political instability and indecision is not good for businesses in England. 

"We know there’s a willingness to invest millions in the industry, but the sector needs confidence that it has the support of government on productive new planting, sustainable management of woodland and encouraging greater use of home-grown wood. 

Forestry Journal: Stuart GoodallStuart Goodall

"While the Conservative party has a majority in Parliament it needs to use that to appoint a leader that can provide stability and a focus on growing the economy while keeping on track to meet our vital net-zero target.”

Whether Trudy Harrison, Ranil Jayawardena, or any of the other Tory ministers are around for much longer to aid those efforts remains (romaines?) to be seen. 

This piece is an extract from today’s Forestry Latest News newsletter, which is emailed out at 4PM every Friday with a round-up of the week's top stories. 

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