Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on large-scale commercial forestry schemes being planted in close proximity to communities, and whether such communities should have the right to object to these.
In 2023, Scottish Forestry published refreshed guidance on Forestry Engagement and Consultation Processes, which reflects the principles of the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement and provides greater clarity on expectations, requirements and roles and responsibilities around community engagement and consultation on forestry plans and proposals.
The criteria for assessing all woodland creation schemes are set under stage 3 of this guidance and includes taking into account whether the proposal has considered all the issues raised in the consultation and made changes where appropriate.
There is no ban on woodland planting in close proximity to communities however in such cases any planting proposal would be expected to demonstrate that community feedback had been taken into account and that significant efforts made to address concerns. Communities can raise objections and where there do so there is a requirement for these to be considered and addressed.
Many rural communities exist in close proximity to forest land and forests normally deliver a range of opportunities and benefits for local people.
Scottish Government is striving to ensure that more people and communities have the opportunity to engage with our expanding forests and woodland, and that more people and communities benefit from forestry.
We want to ensure that the woodland expansion needed to tackle the twin climate and biodiversity crises takes place in a just and sustainable way, with positive impacts for everybody, including future generations to come.