Holyrood to consider forestry bill for first time

The Scottish Parliament is set to consider forestry legislation for the first time in its history following the introduction of a Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill.

The Scottish government says the bill, which introduces a new approach to forestry development, support and regulation, will benefit Scotland’s £1 billion forestry sector, which supports 25,000 jobs.

Separate to the bill, the government has also announced the creation of a new executive agency called Forestry and Land Scotland and a dedicated forestry division within government.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “Scotland’s forests and woodlands are among our most valuable rural assets and our ambition is for them to expand and flourish.

“They contribute significantly to our ambitious climate change targets, soaking up about 10 million tonnes of CO2 each year. And they help to build growth and prosperity, contributing £1 billion each year to the Scottish economy and supporting 25,000 jobs.

“Our forests come in all shapes and sizes: productive forests, iconic native pinewoods and treasured native woodlands. Each is valuable in its own way. The bill and other changes announced today will enable us to deliver on our bold ambitions. Existing staff will transfer to new bodies as civil servants and I value their knowledge and experience.

“We will continue to work to ensure forestry plays a leading role in Scottish communities for generations to come.”