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The Herald Scotland
01-08-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Experts call for more community ownership of Scotland's woodlands
The analysis by experts in forestry and land use highlights concern from across Scotland about the role of industrial forestry corporations and asset management organisations who increasingly dominate the ownership and management of Scotland's forests. The research concludes that more community ownership and management of woodlands, and more diverse ownership of forests across Scotland would increase community wealth and lead to greater environmental benefits, as well as producing more actively managed forests in Scotland. In three new discussion papers, forestry experts Willie McGhee and Jon Hollingdale analyse the effectiveness and impact of industrial forestry on local areas as well as for meeting national carbon and timber targets. READ MORE: Industrial forestry refers to predominantly single species, mostly unmanaged, Sitka Spruce forest, contrasting with more climatically resilient, sustainable, mixed species forestry. The papers recognise that, while mixed productive forestry has an important part to play in reaching Net Zero and delivering economic and social opportunities, basic assumptions about the economic, climatic and environmental benefits of industrial forestry can be questionable. The new papers were commissioned by Community Land Scotland (CLS), the lead body representing community landowners in Scotland. Dr Josh Doble, Director of Policy and Advocacy at CLS, said: 'These papers are designed to prompt discussion about industrial forestry and what an alternative forestry sector could look like in a Scotland which prioritises sustainable timber, community wealth building, climate and biodiversity.' Willie McGhee has long experience in the forestry and community woodland sector. He is a forest manager and owner, a Director of the Forest Policy Group and a Trustee with the Community Woodlands Association. Dr Josh Doble, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Community Land Scotland (Image: Nick Mailer) His carbon report states that 'questionable assumptions, and research gaps - particularly with respect to forest practice on peat soils — mean we may be overestimating the benefit of afforestation as a means of locking up carbon and offsetting carbon emissions.' This applies to both native woodlands and industrial forest. The impact of trees on peat, the relatively short lifespan of timber products, and questionable claims regarding product substitution are subjects of ongoing scientific debate. Such uncertainty raises questions about the Woodland Carbon Code, the UK Government mechanism for monetising forest carbon sequestration. Forestry's contribution to Scotland's [[Net Zero]] targets is a key justification for Scottish Government subsidy support for afforestation, which, in turn fuels large-scale acquisitions for investment forestry groups. The paper describes some practical ways in which Scottish forestry could more effectively capture and store carbon. These include changes to forestry management practice; reducing reliance on clear-felling, increasing the length of forest rotations, and a moratorium on planting peaty soils. 'We should be doing more intelligent and nuanced forest management to protect soils and soil carbon and to create diverse timber producing forests, both native and exotic conifer, managed on longer (harvest) rotations or as permanent forest', Willie McGhee said. Experts are calling for more community ownership of Scotland's woodlands. (Image: Landfor) Willie McGhee's timber paper looks at the issues of 'timber security' and Scottish forestry products. Much of which goes for biomass, pallets, fencing, sheds and other short lived timber products. Most high-quality timber for construction is imported due to industry perceptions of UK timber, and a trend towards fast growing species and short harvesting rotation cycles; these to maximise profits rather than maximising timber quality, social and environmental benefits, including climate mitigation impacts. Jon Hollingdale is an independent forestry and land use consultant and researcher. He has had a variety of roles in the forestry sector, including 15 years as the CEO of the Community Woodlands Association. His new research paper assesses the impact of investment forestry on the land market and forestry practice. As his paper outlines, the financial advantages of land ownership and the largely unregulated land market facilitate speculation and are long-term obstacles to community wealth building; recent price spikes and the limited supply of forest land add further barriers to the ambitions of communities. Dr Josh Doble said: 'Community Land Scotland members have raised concerns about the impact of industrial coniferous forestry in their local areas. We as an organisation are concerned about the role of industrial forestry corporations and asset management organisations in further consolidating the ownership and management of Scotland's forests. 'The research includes a call for a more integrated, locally focused, and active forest management. That resonates with the community wealth building approach which we have been arguing should underpin all land management in Scotland." He added: 'If Scotland wants to be timber secure, and produce high quality timber for construction, how our forests are managed needs to be reformed. A clear way of reforming them would be to change some of the ownership patterns, allowing more local ownership and ensuring forests are actively managed over longer timescales to grow quality timber."
Irish Independent
30-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Two Wicklow properties totalling over 90 acres to be sold at auction
Located in Ballymaghroe, 1.7km from the village of Knockananna, the expansive 58-acre property, which is fit for 'a range of agricultural uses' will be sold in one or more lots on June 18 at 12 pm. Comprising lands that are currently in grass and have good road frontage, the property is being offered in four lots. Lot 1 is c. 14.413 acres of good quality grassland with outbuildings, while Lot 2 (c. 17.385 acres) and Lot 3 (c. 26.353 acres) are suitable for rough grazing and have potential for forestry plantation, subject to the relevant planning permission, and Lot 4 is the entire. Noting that the property will 'suit a range of agricultural uses', offering level, easily accessible fields ideal for grazing or tillage, a spokesperson for Quinn Property said: 'The holdings` convenient location and natural layout make an attractive investment for both farming and future development potential. 'Planning for a residence may be achievable, subject to planning permission.' On June 27 at 11 am, a c. 35.6-acre forestry holding in Rosnastraw, 4km from Tinahely, will be sold at a guided price of €220,000 for the 'prime parcel of forestry land'. Featuring extensive road frontage onto the R748, the property is currently growing a crop of mature timber, comprising mainly Sitka Spruce and Scots Pine and a small quantity of Oak, with the Scots Pine planted in 2000 and the remainder in 1994. 'Due to the extensive road frontage, there may be site potential, subject to the relevant planning permission being obtained,' the Quinn Property spokesperson said. 'Whether you're an investor, conservationist, timber harvester, or outdoor enthusiast, this property offers abundant resources and endless potential.'
Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
It is time to stop the Forestry Commission destroying our beautiful peatlands
At first glance, one might imagine that the primary purpose of the Forestry Commission was the preservation of our ancient and most beautiful forests. Its website and posters depict broadleaf trees and sunny, sylvan glades. Indeed, the preservation of these sumptuous places is one of its main objectives. But there is another and arguably more important one: the promotion of commercial forestry. Much of the UK's uplands are carpeted in Sitka spruce so closely planted that it is difficult for any other form of wildlife to survive. In the Northumberland National Park vast armies of Sitka spruce, which produces low-grade timber for us as fence posts, kitchen furniture and laminate floors, march across some of our most scenic uplands. More than 20 per cent of the national park is carpeted in commercial forestry, much of it planted in deep peat, and the park management are powerless to stop it. The vast Kielder Forest, part of which is within the park, is among the least diverse habitats in the country. In 2011, in response to mounting criticism from conservationists, the Forestry Commission advised land managers to avoid planting in deep peat. There was, however, a large loophole. The advice applied only to new planting. Forests already planted in deep peat, as many are, would continue to be replanted, regardless of the environmental consequences. The first big test of this new policy has occurred in Northumberland where the 852 hectare Uswayford forest, at the head of the beautiful Coquet valley, is about to be harvested. The national park authority enjoys good relations with the local forestry management and a period of negotiation resulted in a suggested compromise that one third of the forest in the most sensitive areas would not be replanted, another third would be replanted with native broadleaf trees, and the final third would revert to commercial conifers. However, when this proposition was put to the Commission's senior management, they rejected it outright. Instead, they insisted on 71 per cent of the site being replanted with conifers, 21 per cent with broadleaf trees, and just under eight per cent reserved for the restoration of peat. When challenged, Forestry England replies that they have been set targets by the Government to reduce the import of timber imports, much of which comes from Scandinavia and Canada. As it happens, national parks have targets, too. Ironically, they too are set by Defra, the very Government department which sets targets for the Forestry Commission. Landowners in the Northumberland national park are funded by the taxpayer to restore damaged peatland, and the park authority has a successful programme doing exactly that. The Forestry Commission also deploys another argument. Namely, that conifer plantations are as effective as peat bogs at absorbing carbon dioxide. The weakness of this argument is that commercial forests are harvested every 30 or 40 years and turned into products which have a limited shelf life, whereas peat continues to absorb carbon indefinitely. It is also worth bearing in mind that, once peat has been replanted three times, it is beyond salvation. The case for restoring the Uswayford deep peat is that, thus far, it has only been replanted once; It could still be saved. Ultimately Defra ministers need to decide on priorities. If they are interested in preserving ancient peat and the carbon locked inside it, they need to stop the Forestry Commission from destroying them. A good place to start would be in the national parks. Happily, there is an obvious solution at hand. At the moment, although most national parks have responsibility for planning and development, forestry is exempted. Perhaps the time has come for the planning powers of the national parks to be extended to cover forestry, rather than allowing the Forestry Commission to be its own judge and jury.
