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THE STATE OF SCOTLAND'S FARMED ENVIRONMENT 2005

27. THE SCOTTISH FORESTRY GRANTS SCHEME

Uptake

The following table summarises areas of new planting and restocking of woodland. The figures are divided into the total of Forestry Commission (FC) and non-Forestry Commission (non-FC) new planting and restocking. The non-FC figures are the areas for which grants were paid together with an estimate of planting without the aid of grants.

Table 27.1 : Woodland areas of new planting and restocking from 2001 to 2005 in thousand hectares

Years (to 31 March)

New planting

Restocking

FC

Non-FC

Total

FC

Non-FC

Total

2001

0.1

11.6

11.7

4.4

3.6

8.0

2002

0.1

7.9

8.0

4.9

2.9

7.8

2003

0.1

6.6

6.7

5.0

3.5

8.5

2004

0.1

6.7

6.8

5.3

3.6

8.9

2005

0.0

5.6

5.6

5.3

4.2

9.5

Source: Forestry Commission (2004 and 2005b)

Table 27.1 shows that nearly the entire new planting took place on non-FC land but the uptake of new planting decreased over the period from 11,600 ha to 5,600 ha. On the other hand, the majority of restocking occured on FC owned land, but the uptake of restocking on non-FC increased slightly from 3,600 ha in 2001 to 4,200 ha in 2005. Statistics published by the Forestry Commission (2004) also show that on new planting areas, mainly broadleaf trees have been planted, e.g. in 2004 over 60%, while restocking has mainly been done with conifer trees.

In terms of the uptake of stewardship grants and measures, data are available for an annual management grant which was introduced in 1991 under the WGS to help owners of existing woodland to provide access for recreation. As explained above, the SFGS, as the successor of the WGS, continues to provide funding for stewardship grants for woodland recreation. Table 27.2 shows the amount woodland approved for annual management grant.

Table 27.2 : Woodland approved for annual management grant in thousand hectares

Years (to 31 March)

Broadleaves

Conifers

Total

2001

2.6

6.3

8.9

2002

2.2

3.1

5.3

2003

3.2

2.8

6.0

2004

1.3

3.0

4.3

2005

0.2

0.8

1.0

Standard, special and annual management grants are included. Woodland improvement grants are not included.

Source: Forestry Commission (2005b)

A total of 4,300 ha has been approved for annual management grants in 2004, mainly conifers, which is a decrease of around 28 percent compared to the previous year. Overall, the amount of woodland approved for annual management grant in 2001 was more than twice as large as in 2004. Even more drastic is the decline in woodland approved for grants in 2005. The latest figures show a further decline to only 1,000 ha of woodland approved for stewardship grants, the successor of management grants which were phased out in 2003/2004.

Participation under the SFGS obliges land managers to fulfill the UK Forestry Standards and promotes the engagement of land managers with the Forestry Commission who can provide advice on diversifying farmland and increasing biodiversity. However, it emerges from the uptake figures of planting and management/stewardship grants that a relatively large amount of woodland is not included in the SFGS and hence does not require that land managers meet the UK Forestry Standard for these woodlands.

EVALUATION

The expansion of native and mixed woodlands and the restoration of riparian and tree line woodlands creates important habitats for wildlife. Floodplain and riparian woodland can also play an important role in stabilizing river banks. Planting broadleaf trees within the riparian zone and clearing of conifer plantations near watercourses is expected to improve the fresh water environment. The SFGS provides support for the development of new riparian woodland and for the management of existing riparian woodlands. Moreover, the SFGS includes now provisions for assistance with deer management and for preparation of Deer Management Plans to reduce the negative impacts of deer on woodlands.

The new pilot scheme Controlled Livestock Grazing provides additional benefits to the SFGS. While in the past, grazing activities in grant-approved woodland was not possible, the new pilot scheme aims to enhance biodiversity through sustainable grazing activities in woodlands and provides a direct link between agricultural activities and woodland management.

With respect to forestry measures for recreation purposes, by 2003 about 368 Community Woodland Schemes have been approved covering around 3,100 ha and about 925 Walkers Welcome schemes have been signed, increasing public access to woodlands (SNH, 2004). On the other hand, Ward and Thompson (2002) identify in their evaluation of the SRDP the imbalance between funding for afforestation of agricultural and non-agricultural land, with a focus on the former, as a major concern for a number of forestry interests. Only 6 percent of the forestry budget in the SRDP is programmed for afforestation of non-farmland. The concern is that the funding distribution, driven by the desire to retain as much of the rural development spending within the farming sector as possible, will not allow a healthy forestry industry to be sustained in the future.

Overall, due to limited funding, conflicts with other land uses, e.g. agriculture, and farmers’ perception of tree planting, the uptake of forestry measures and establishment of new forest areas has been restricted and needs to be increased, in particular, if the key aspiration of the Scottish Forestry Strategy (SFS) of 25% woodland cover by 2050 has to be fulfilled. However, the SFS strategy is currently under review and a new strategy is expected to be launched in summer 2006. One of the main aspects and questions of the review is the definition of a new forestry target and it seems doubtful that the 25% land cover target will remain in the new strategy.

Moreover, options are currently being explored to include forestry grants in LMCs (Tier 3) by 2007 providing a closer link between forestry and agricultural grants and promoting a more integrated approach to land use.

Sources

  • Forestry Commission (2005a). SFGS Applicant’s Booklet Online. External Website
  • Forestry Commission (2005b). Forestry Facts and figures 2005. External Website
  • Forestry Commission (2004). Forestry Statistics 2004. External Website
  • SEERAD (2005). Rural Development Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999: Rural Development Plan for Scotland (Amended February 2005) External Website
  • Scottish Natural Heritage (2004). Natural Heritage Trends: Recreation in woodlands. External Website
  • Ward, N. and Thompson , N. (2002). The Implementation of the EU Rural Development Regulation in Scotland , Research Report to the World-Wide Fund for Nature, Scotland.

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