Concern over government targets for planting woodland across Scotland

Published on Tuesday 14 February 2012 00:00

THE Scottish Government target of planting an additional 100,000 hectares within the next decade could be achieved but it was not helpful to say this would be met by an annual target of 10,000 hectares.

Andrew Barbour, who heads up the Scottish Woodlands Group, was speaking to the annual meeting of NFU Scotland yesterday.

This group was set up last year by the Scottish Government and includes representatives of a wide range of rural interests including sheep farmers who fear the loss of grazing land with any expansion of forestry.

Barbour, himself a farmer, was speaking to the NFUS meeting in St Andrews and suggested that the substandard corners of fields and steep banks on many farms that did not contribute a great deal to the profitability of the farm were ideal for some woodland.

Andrew Moir, who chairs the Ringlink Machinery Ring, pointed out this co-operative was currently piloting such a scheme and that it had a good response from the members.

In expressing a personal opinion, Barbour said he was sceptical on whether the planned “new entrant starter” farms proposal by the Forestry Commission were viable.

So far two such units are on the market, both in west Fife and both now seeking expressions of interest from those wanting to take a ten-year tenancy.

“I have my doubts about how viable these will be. I cannot see how these will work with hefty fixed costs,” said Barbour.

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Family guy

Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:46 AM

The Forestry Commission, like the SNH, John Muir Trust, RSPB and Caringorms national park, is another fuedal landlord that aims to ensure no ownership of land in Scotland by the people of Scotland. Without ownership, there will NEVER be progression. Time to boot these publically funded fuedal landlords into touch. Break up the estates now.

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bumpkin

Friday, February 17, 2012 at 05:41 AM

if the forestry commision dont screw the new entrants for rent, they will be viable.

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