How Forestry Favours the Wealthy “Super-rich buying up the forests of Scotland” declaimed newspaper headlines recently – with The Times reporting “Scotland’s forest land in danger of becoming an offshore tax haven for the super-rich”. Those of us who can …

Back to the 70s – Flared Trousers & Forestry Ploughing
The 70s were notable for a number of things. Flared trousers, gull-winged shirts, kipper ties, and in forestry – ploughing. The aforementioned dubious fashion items are making a comeback; and so too is ploughing, and similar forms of unsightly forestry …

Forest Policy Group response to the Scottish Forestry Strategy Consultation
Forest Policy Group Response to the Scottish Forestry Strategy Draft
The economic contribution of small scale woodland businesses in Scotland
Economic Contribution of Small Scale Woodland Related Businesses FPG Paper Our research into the economic contribution of small-scale woodland related businesses to Scotland’s economy indicates there are some 6,255 people connected with small-scale woodland related activities. And that the income and local spending …

Value from supporting local forestry businesses – a scoping study
LocalSmallForestry_final Here is an updated version of FPG’s scoping study – part of our work to highlight the sector of forestry activity which is locally-based, locally-organised, and typically small-scale. It aims to assess the extent of knowledge and the …
Deer management – Scottish Parliament debate briefing
In the lead up to a debate on deer management in the Scottish Parliament scheduled for 2nd May, we are issuing this short introduction to the issues and the case for reform. This follows a lengthy report by the …

Forestry for the Common Good
As forestry stakeholders meet Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, today to discuss the Future of Forestry, the Forest Policy Group is highlighting 5 key themes which we believe must be central to future forestry development …
Upland Deer Range – Climate Plan Omission
Inspired by the recently published Draft Climate Change Plan (RPP3), and in particular by what we consider to be a significant omission from it, we have produced the following post on sporting land use in the uplands to stimulate debate …