The Scottish Wildlife Trust has welcomed the publication of the Scottish Government’s Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill, which takes a modern approach to forestry development, support and regulation.

The Bill will update the official definition of forestry for the first time in 50 years, and contains a duty on Scottish Ministers to promote sustainable forest management. It aims to deliver:

• Improved accountability, transparency and policy alignment.
• A modernised legislative framework to develop, support and regulate the sector in Scotland.
• More effective use of Scotland’s publicly owned land.

A new executive agency called Forestry and Land Scotland will also be created as well as a dedicated forestry division within the Scottish Government.

Our Chief Executive Jonny Hughes said: “We welcome the proposed Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill and commend the Scottish Government on running an inclusive and transparent consultation process ahead of its publication. The Trust advocated for the inclusion of a duty on Sustainable Forest Management on the face of the Bill and we are pleased to see this on page one.

“The Sustainable Forest Management duty is also linked to a further duty on the preparation of a Forestry Strategy, which must include objectives on ‘the conservation and enhancement of the environment by means of sustainable forest management’. These duties will provide a firm foundation for building a modern forestry sector that delivers a much broader range of benefits to Scotland than we saw in decades past.

 

“Forestry policy and practice has thankfully come a long way since the outdated 1967 Forestry Act. We believe the proposals under the Bill and the new organisational structures will increase the accountability of forestry in Scotland, and improve the design and management of woodlands so they provide a wide range of outcomes beyond timber. These non-market benefits include carbon storage, biodiversity, recreation and improved health and well-being.

“The Trust looks forward to continued dialogue with the Scottish Government and MSPs as the Bill passes through Parliament so we end up with a Forestry and Land Management Act which is fit for the 21st century, enables us to deliver on our international commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals, and serves the people, the economy and the natural environment of Scotland.”