The report 'Estimating the value of Edinburgh's trees' is now available.
Introduction to the WIAT programme
The programme provides the focus for Forestry Commission Scotland's work on improving quality of life in towns and cities. Since the launch of WIAT in 2005, FC Scotland has made major investments in this programme.
The next phase of the programme (2011-2014) has evolved to include a stronger emphasis on the role of urban woods in delivering environmental and economic benefits.
For example, this includes helping to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change, and create better places for business to locate and people to live. The WIAT programme document provides more information:
At its core, the programme retains the following objectives:
- Bringing neglected woodland into management
- Creating new woodlands
- Supporting people to use and enjoy their local woods
An Action Plan has been developed to support the delivery of this next programme phase:
Annual reports on progress will be published. The progress report covering the first year of this programme phase (April 2011 - March 2012) can be downloaded here.
The story so far
This progress report summarises the key outputs, outcomes and milestones from the programme's first six years. The highlights include:
- 11,000 hectares of neglected woodland brought into active management
- 1,400 hectares of new urban woodland created
- Over 300 miles of new or upgraded footpaths created
- An additional 4000 hectares added to the national forest estate by FCS to deliver the programme.
Project case studies have been developed to illustrate the impact of the work of FCS and partners under the WIAT programme:
- Don Corridor, Aberdeen (PDF 1.2Mb)
- Ninewells Hospital, Dundee (PDF 985k)
- Craigmillar, Edinburgh (PDF 1Mb)
- Falkirk (1.3Mb)
- Greenlink, Motherwell (PDF 1.1Mb)
- Bishop's Estate Woods, Glasgow (PDF 889k)
- Cuningar Loop, Glasgow (PDF 1.2Mb)
- Castlemilk/Cathkin Braes, Glasgow (PDF 1.4Mb)
- Drumchapel Woods, Glasgow (PDF 1Mb)
- Wester Hailes, Edinburgh (PDF 1.2Mb)
- Windyhill, Renfrewshire (PDF 780k)
The benefits of urban woods and trees
Trees and woodlands provide a range of social, environmental and economic benefits. In Edinburgh, Forest Research has undertaken a study using the i-Tree Eco model developed by the US Forest Service to quantify a selection of these ecosystem services at the town and city scale.
A survey of 200 field plots located across Edinburgh was carried out in the summer of 2011. Data from trees and shrubs were recorded from these plots and used to estimate a number of tree-related benefits such as improving air quality and the removal of carbon from the atmosphere.
- Read the report: Estimating the value of Edinburgh's trees (PDF)
Programme monitoring
Programme outputs are captured annually.
In order to evaluate the impact of the programme two longitudinal studies were commissioned. You can view summaries of the report findings and copies of the reports:
- Comparison of perceptions and use of woodlands pre and post-intervention (2006-2009)
- Survey on the status of urban woodland management in Scotland (2004-2009).
Funding for WIAT
- Forestry Challenge Funds are focused on bringing woodland into active management.
- Rural Development Contracts: there are forestry options for the creation and management of a range of woodland types. An additional contribution will be available for woodland creation of at least 1 ha in the WIAT area. See the Forestry Grants page for more information.
