Scotland's Forestry Strategy 2019-2029: consultation draft

2. Background: Scotland's forests and woodlands

2.1 The history of Scotland's forests and woodlands

Scotland is part of the northern boreal zone, which is characterised by extensive forests, and also includes countries such as Canada and Finland, as well as parts of the USA, Russia and China. Without human intervention, much of Scotland would be covered by tree species of a range of types, including Scots pine and birch in the north and east, and oakwoods in the warm and wetter west.

Ever since the first foresters entered Scotland's ancient wildwood over 6000 years ago, our trees and woodlands have been felled and harvested. However, as Scotland's population grew, more wood from forests was harvested and many forests disappeared, making space for agriculture, people's homes and infrastructure. By the early 20th century, forest cover in Scotland, as well as in the rest of the UK, was reduced to 5%. This chronic lack of trees and timber was recognised as a strategic problem for the country, and so the UK Forestry Act of 1919 was introduced to address the issue.

Given this strategic need to grow more timber, the forests planted in Scotland during the subsequent 100 years were primarily, but not exclusively, designed to optimise timber production, using species from around the world that could thrive in Scotland's relatively favourable growing conditions.

As our understanding of the environment and these new forests has developed, so has the practice of modern Scottish forestry. In particular, over the second half of the 20th century, it became clear that the industrial, intensive, single-purpose forestry that dominated the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s was not sustainable, and an approach was required that needed to embrace environmental and wider societal interests. This change of focus for forestry policy resulted in the development of comprehensive standards for forest management in the 1990's, drawing on international initiatives stemming from the first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. More recently the forestry sector has also experienced a shift in terms of the balance of timber production carried out on the Scottish Ministers' owned and managed forests and woodlands, as opposed to that carried out on private land, with the majority of production now taking place on the latter.

2.2 Modern Scottish forestry

From the late 1980s onwards, close working relationships between government, the forestry sector, and environmental and community groups led to the development of a strong consensus around the internationally recognised principles of sustainable forest management. These are the principles upon which Scotland's modern forestry legislation, practice and related policies are built.

Promoting Sustainable Forest Management

The principles of Sustainable Forest Management have been agreed internationally. In 1993, Sustainable Forest Management was defined as:

The stewardship and use of forest lands that maintains biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and potential to fulfil now and in the future relevant ecological, economic and social functions at local, national and global levels and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems"^[1].

The Scottish and other governments in the UK have adopted this definition and, along with relevant legislation and other good practice, have incorporated it into the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS).

The UK Forestry Standard - the benchmark for sustainable practice

The UKFS sets out the Government's approach to sustainable forest management, to help inform forest planning decisions which involve all forests, and to ensure that international agreements and conventions are applied. It is reviewed every five years with the input of forestry sector and environmental stakeholders and it provides the basis for regulating forestry activities, including approvals for felling licences. In addition, payment of government grants for woodland creation and forest management is conditional on meeting the requirements of the UKFS and its supporting guidelines:

• Forests and Biodiversity.
• Forests and Climate Change.
• Forests and Historic Environment.
• Forests and Landscape.
• Forests and People.
• Forests and Soil.
• Forests and Water.

The UKFS also provides the basis for independent certification of woodland management through the internationally recognised Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) system and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). In Scotland and the rest of the UK, the UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS) is used to demonstrate compliance with both the FSC and the PEFC; the UKWAS gives consumers confidence that products from certified forests come from sustainably managed sources. In 2018, 58% of Scotland's forests were certified against the UKWAS.

2.3 Scotland's forest and woodland resource

In the last 100 years, forest and woodland cover in Scotland has increased from around 5% to 19%; this is higher than the rest of the UK but is still well below the European Union average of 38%.

Chart 1 - Forest and woodland cover as a percentage of land area in Scotland

Scotland's forest and woodland area now covers more than 1.4 million hectares (ha), one third of which is owned by Scottish Ministers as part of the existing National Forest Estate. These forests consist of a range of different woodland types and tree species, ranging from the highly productive forests of the Galloway and Tay Forest Parks to traditional mixed Highland estates, and from urban forests in and around our cities to the Atlantic oakwoods in Argyll and the native Caledonian pinewoods in the Highlands.

The benefits we receive from our forests and woodlands

Diverse and versatile forests are located across Scotland and serve both our rural and urban communities; they provide a range of benefits that sustain livelihoods and improve people's quality of life and well-being.

Supporting our economy

Forestry makes a substantial contribution to the economy at both national and local levels. The majority of economic activities associated with woodland creation, management, harvesting, transportation, and a significant part of the processing of wood products, take place in rural areas of the country and therefore, for many rural communities, the forestry sector is very important.

The forestry sector comprises tree nurseries, businesses focused on planting, managing and harvesting, as well as wood fibre processors. These businesses range in scale, from artisan furniture-makers, family-owned contracting businesses and community-based biomass enterprises, to UK-wide woodland management companies and multi-million pound panel, pulp, paper and sawmills operating internationally. These businesses produce a range of wood products including sawn timber, fence posts, oriented strand board, medium-density fibreboard, particleboard, pallets, biomass chips and pellets, and bark.

In 2015, Scottish forestry contributed almost £1 billion gross valued added (GVA) to the economy, and employed more than 25 000 full-time equivalents (FTE)^[2].

While the forestry and timber-processing sector was responsible for the majority of this contribution, forest-related recreation and tourism also made a noteworthy contribution: forests and woodlands provide valuable venues for revenue-creating activities such as mountain bike hire and tree-top aerial adventure courses. These places also help to attract visitors to Scotland through the unique contribution they make to our impressive Scottish landscape.

Enhancing our environment

Scotland's forests and woodlands provide us with a range of environmental benefits that contribute to improvements in our quality of life. These benefits are often described as 'natural capital' and include our stocks of air, biodiversity, water, soil, geological resources and land.

For example, forests and woodlands help mitigate the impact of climate change by absorbing substantial amounts of carbon: In 2016, around 12 million tonnes of CO2e was removed from the atmosphere by Scotland's woodlands and forests^[3]. Many wood products also contribute to climate change mitigation by continuing to store captured carbon. Thus, uniquely, the more economic activity in the sector, the more we can replenish and expand our forests, helping to slow the effects of climate change.

The environmental role of sustainably managed, planted forests has been recognised as critical by international environmental organisations, such as the WWF (see the New Generation Plantation platform, which they manage^[4]), to help conserve biodiversity and meet society's needs, whilst also contributing to sustainable economic growth and local livelihoods. Scotland's forests and woodlands are rich in biodiversity, providing a home to 172 protected species, including some of Scotland's most charismatic and recognisable species, such as the red squirrel, pine marten, twinflower, crested tit, Scottish Crossbill, black grouse and capercaillie.

Forests and woodlands also help to purify our water and air, reduce flood risks, improve slope and riverbank stability, and help to decontaminate soils on post-industrial sites. They are also a key part of Scotland's iconic landscapes, helping to frame views, adding colour and textures, and marking the passing of the seasons.

Improving people's lives

Forests and woodlands are a valuable resource for the improvement of people's lives. In 2014, 63% of adults had visited a forest or woodland in the previous 12 months^[5]. We know that forests and woodlands provide hugely restorative environments which have beneficial effects for those suffering from mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Alongside this, accessible forests and woodlands offer opportunities for people to engage in healthy activities, take more exercise and improve their physical health.

Access to greenspace, woodlands and forests for children, through outdoor play and learning, is positively associated with improved self-esteem, physical health, development of language skills, disposition to learning, and attainment levels. Direct experiences of woodlands and forests as children can help foster adults who, not only are more likely to visit and use woodlands and forests as adults, but also better understand and appreciate the natural world and forestry.

Since 2003, 200 community woodland groups have been established, collectively managing around 100,000 ha of forests and woodlands and other land. Part of the reason for the growth in community woodland groups is a recognition that Scotland's forests and woodlands can play an important role in galvanising and empowering communities: they can provide opportunities for the development of community-based enterprises and, through ownership and participation in management, can foster community cohesion and help people feel they have control over the decisions that shape their lives and the environment in which they live.

Box 1 - Urban forests and woodlands

Scotland's forests and woodlands play an important role in enhancing people's quality of life. In Scotland's towns and cities, our urban forests and woodlands provide a vital greenspace for people to enjoy and use, enhancing their physical health and mental well-being.

Urban forests play a key role in the expansion of green networks across our city regions, providing a landscape framework for sustainable urban development, making our urban communities more attractive places for people to live and work in.

Scottish Ministers' forestry and land assets

Approximately one third of Scotland's forests and woodlands are on public land, owned by Scottish Ministers on behalf of the nation. These forests are currently part of what is known as the National Forest Estate. The Estate also includes a significant area of open ground. It makes a significant contribution to Scotland's economic, social and environmental outcomes, and provides a wide range of benefits to society. These include contributing over £1 million per day GVA, supporting 11 000 FTEs, welcoming 10 million visitors annually, as well as hosting nine starter farms and renewable energy infrastructure that can produce over 1 GW of energy, enough to power 500 000 homes each year. In addition, the Estate is a valuable natural resource, helping to improve the physical, emotional and mental well-being of visitors.