Children and Young People's Voices Matter: progress report - March 2022

Trees for All (actions 5-7)

Action 5 - Protecting and looking after spaces where trees are already spreading and growing, and planting more trees in places they would grow naturally, making sure different types of trees are growing together.

• Our Control of Woodland Removal policy and felling and planning regulations provide direction on woodland removal and replanting to ensure that woodland cover is not lost.

Action 6 - Ensuring all tree guards are biodegradable.

• Steps are being taken to ensure forest owners are more aware of their responsibilities under Section 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990 which places a duty of care on all landowners in Scotland to store and dispose of waste appropriately. Once used, all tree shelters and vole guards must be removed and reused, recycled or disposed of appropriately.

Action 7 - Giving everyone in Scotland a tree and helping them plant it themselves, or with the help of somebody else, and have a National Tree Planting Day.

• We have supported the planting of over 22 million trees in 2021-22, mainly in the form of woodland which is around 4 trees per person in Scotland. Scottish Forestry has liaised with the Children's Parliament to highlight children and young people's current involvement in a National Tree Planting programme.