SRDP FORESTRY WORKING GROUP

Woodland Expansion Advisory Group

22 May 2012

Land Use Strategy

Proposal 7

• Identify more closely which types of land are best for tree planting in the context of other land-based objectives, and promote good practice and local processes in relation to tree planting so as to secure multiple benefits.

WEAG Membership

• Dr Andrew Barbour: Chair. Woodland adviser to Atholl Estates• George McRobbie: UPM Tilhill• Angus Mccall: Scottish Tenant Farmers’ Association• Dr Andrew Midgley: Scottish Land and Estates• Nigel Miller: NFU Scotland • Jonnie Hall: NFU Scotland• George Milne: National Sheep Association• David Barnes: Scottish Government Rural and Environment Directorate• Professor Jeff Maxwell: Ex-Director of Macaulay Land Use Research Institute• Bob McIntosh: Director, Forestry Commission Scotland• Susan Davies: Scottish Natural Heritage• Jo O’Hara: Scottish Government Rural and Environment Directorate• Hamish Macleod: Director BSW and Chair of FC Scotland’s National Committee• Mark Aitken: Scottish Environmental Protection Agency • Stuart Goodall: Confor • Vicki Swales: RSPB Scotland• Simon Pepper: SNH Board member and former director WWF• Ian Ross: former Highland Council Chair of Highland Council Planning,

Environment and Development Committee• Bill Ritchie: Scottish Crofting Federation

WEAG work programme

• Commissioned analyses of land availability by James Hutton Institute and Forest Research

• Consultation exercise and public meetings in Dumfries, Oban, Inverness, Huntly, Perth and Newtown St Boswells

• Reporting to Cabinet Secretary at Highland Show

• Working papers online at weag@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Land analysis: Phase 1

• Biophysically unsuitable• Already woodland• Prime agricultural land• Deep peat

• In total 46% of Scotland ruled out in first phase of study.

Land analysis: Phase 2

• Nature conservation and landscape designations (orange)

• A further 20% of Scotland is shown to be significantly constrained in second phase of study.

Land analysis: Phase 3

• About one third of Scotland has, in theory, potential for woodland establishment…

• …but lots of ‘buts’!

• Rough grazing (blue)• Improved grassland

(purple)• Mixed agriculture

(green)

Phase 3 Land Stocking Rate Analysis

• SG/JHI analysis, based on Census data etc

• less than 2 per cent of Scotland’s total livestock units would be displaced or lost from production through planting 100,000 hectares of improved/rough grazing on Phase 3 land over the next ten years.

• impact on livestock production could be reduced

through careful choice of land for planting and effective integration with agricultural operations.

Some issues from WEAG consultation

• Deciding, strategically, where there are opportunities for woodland creation (reflecting, eg, socio-economic as well as environmental impacts)

• Integrating woodland creation with other land use objectives (including opportunities for agroforestry)

• Grants/SRDP

• Making the most of existing woodlands

• Providing advice and support for woodland creation

Advice and support

• Calls for better integration between the agricultural and forestry sectors in Scotland.

• Strong views were expressed about farmers not having the necessary skills or knowledge to engage in forestry.

• Proposed solutions included more sharing of knowledge and education between farming and forestry, so that (eg) farmers would have the skills to establish and manage woodlands themselves.

• Also suggested that farm advisers have a key role to play in encouraging farmers to manage their existing woodlands and to consider opportunities for creating new woodlands.

SRDP/grants

• need to avoid hiatus between SRDP1 & SRDP2

• too bureaucratic, complex, and uncertain

• mismatch between incentives and policy objectives

• importance of facilitators/advisers (eg to encourage collaborative proposals between neighbours)

• ‘Applicant’s Charter’

• financial risk of failure/reclaim a major deterrent

• compensation for agricultural income foregone