• Home
  • News
  • About
    • About the FPG
    • What we stand for
    • What we do
    • Who we are
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Topic Papers
    • Consultation Responses
    • Press Releases
    • Case Studies
  • Links
  • Contact Us

Forest Policy Group

for sustainable forestry in Scotland

About the Forest Policy Group

The Forest Policy Group is an independent thinktank dedicated to diversifying and strengthening Scotland’s forest industry. We believe that forestry could and should contribute much more to the economy than it presently does, particularly in rural areas and through small- to medium-scale enterprises.  It is important that it also becomes more resilient and sustainable.

For a century, Scottish forestry has focussed on fast growing softwoods (mainly Sitka spruce) to the neglect of other species. Our wood processing sector has become highly centralised (often distant from the forest) whilst numerous smaller local sawmills and other forestry businesses have been lost. Our unique pattern of ownership means that most ordinary people are denied opportunities to own or manage small areas of forest.

FPG believes that we should be much more ambitious about forestry and what we expect it to provide – more (and higher quality) products, a diverse forest resource (more resilient to change and adaptable to our needs), and a thriving infrastructure of forestry businesses and livelihoods at all scales. Opening forestry up to the involvement and inventiveness of many more people is a crucial part of how we will make this transformation.

Since forestry is still largely dependent on public finance, FPG believes that it is these directions of the industry which justify public support.

fuelwood860

Share

Latest Posts

  • How Forestry Favours the Wealthy
  • Back to the 70s – Flared Trousers & Forestry Ploughing
  • Forest Policy Group response to the Scottish Forestry Strategy Consultation
  • The economic contribution of small scale woodland businesses in Scotland
  • New study highlights the importance of small-scale woodland enterprises in rural Scotland

Latest Tweets

    RT @kirstyMTait: 'There should be a more diverse pattern of land ownership and tenure, with more opportunities for citizens to own,… https://t.co/SvupPtXhpL Reply Retweet FavoriteRT @andywightman: Happy Mugabe Land Grab Day. On 23 Jan 2003, the Daily Mail produced this wonderful front cover. "Scotland's land la… https://t.co/JEGRxjlCU1 Reply Retweet FavoriteRT @CommunityWoods: Did you know that the first community woodland @WooplawW was purchased in 1987? The buy-out was driven forward by s… https://t.co/mOSrE0hgYD Reply Retweet Favorite
@forest_policy - 1789 followers

Get our Blog by Email


Copyright © 2021 Forest Policy Group. Site development by Lynx Graphic Design.