Scotland's Forestry Strategy 2019-2029: consultation process

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

This Consultation Report accompanies Scotland's Forestry Strategy 2019-2029, presented to the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish Ministers on 5 February, 2019. It outlines how the views expressed about the draft strategy during the consultation process were taken into account in the final document which can be found online at:
https://consult.gov.scot/forestry/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-29/

1.2 Purpose of this report

The production of a Forestry Strategy is a requirement of the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018 ('The Act'), which is due to commence on 1^st April, 2019. The Act specifies what should be included in the strategy, the requirements for consultation on a draft strategy and for the production of a consultation report. The published strategy and this report have been produced to meet the requirements of the Act and will be laid before Parliament following the commencement of the Act.

The requirements for consultation and consultation reporting are set out in Sections 4 and 5 of the Act as follows:

4 Preparation and revision of forestry strategy

(1) In preparing or revising the forestry strategy, the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) publish a draft of the strategy and consult with such bodies as they consider appropriate and also with the general public.

5 Publication of forestry strategy

(3) …the Scottish Ministers must also publish a report setting out—

(a) the consultation process undertaken in order to comply with section 4(1)(a), and

(b) the ways in which views expressed during that process have been taken account of in preparing or revising the forestry strategy.

(4) The Scottish Ministers must lay a copy of a report under subsection (3) before the Scottish Parliament.

This report sets out how the requirements outlined in Section 4(1)(a) have been met and fulfils the requirements for a report on the consultation process outlined in Section 5 (3). The statutoryconsultation, analysis and reporting have been conducted in accordance with theguidance set out in the Scottish Government's Consultations Good Practice Guide.