Scotland's Forestry Strategy 2019-2029 draft: strategic environmental assessment (SEA)

1 Introduction

1.1 Purpose of this Environmental Report

1.1.1 This report has been prepared in accordance with the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 (referred to hereafter as "the 2005 Act"). The 2005 Act requires all qualifying policies, plans, programmes and strategies (referred to generally as plans) to undergo SEA. This provides a systematic process for identifying, reporting and mitigating the environmental impacts of the proposed plan^[14]. The SEA process comprises the following distinct stages:

• Screening – determining whether a plan requires a SEA;
• Scoping – establishing significant environmental topics, setting the environmental baseline, developing appropriate SEA objectives and consulting via a Scoping Report;
• Environmental Assessment – assessing the potential environmental impact of the Strategy and consulting on both the draft plan and Environmental Report;
• Post Adoption Statement – how the assessment and the consultation results have been considered within the finalised plan. Developing the monitoring strategy to assess progress once adopted;
• Monitoring – monitoring significant environmental effects and taking appropriate remedial action for any unforeseen significant environmental effects.

1.1.2 The Forestry Strategy is a qualifying plan in accordance with Section 5(3) of the 2005 act, and therefore a SEA is required. Consequently screening was not undertaken. This report sets out the findings of the SEA undertaken on the draft Scottish Forestry Strategy 2019-29.

1.2 SEA activities to date

1.2.1 At each stage of the SEA process, there is a requirement to consult the statutory Consultation Authorities. These are Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The present SEA process began with the production of a Scoping Report submitted via the SEA Gateway to the Consultation Authorities in June 2018. This set out initial information on the likelihood of significant effects arising from the Forestry Strategy. It also provided an initial view on the proposed evidence base that would be used to inform the assessment. The representations of the Consultation Authorities to the Scoping stage have helped to inform the content of the draft Strategy and the SEA process. The SEA has subsequently progressed over the course of August and September 2018 in parallel with the preparation of the Forestry Strategy itself.

1.2.2 The key facts relating to the Scottish Forestry Strategy are set out in Table 1.

Table 1: Key Facts in relation to the Forestry Strategy