Scottish Forestry Strategy Review 2005-2006

 

The review

When the Scottish Forestry Strategy was published in 2000 there was a commitment to review its ‘Priorities for Action’ within five years.  Given a number of contextual changes since 2000, a wider review was appropriate.

Public consultations

The review involved two, 12-week public consultations.

The first public consultation (completed 16 September 2005)

The first consultation helped Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) find out what people thought were the really important issues in Scottish Forestry. To help in that process we prepared a consultation document (PDF 1.2Mb).  We also provided a small number of topic papers for the first consultation.

The responses to the first consultation helped us draft a revised Scottish Forestry Strategy (PDF 474k) together with an associated Environmental Report as part of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

The second public consultation (completed 29th May 2006)

The second 12-week public consultation ran from 6 March to 29 May 2006 and sought views on the draft Strategy and the Environmental Report.

Two topic papers for the second consultation were produced, the first describing the full context for forestry, and the second looking at the possible opportunities for future forest expansion.

Responses to the second consultation helped us revise the Strategy.  The final Scottish Forestry Strategy (PDF 3.1Mb) was published on October 9th 2006.

The review process was being overseen by a steering group:

Bob McIntosh, Forestry Commission Scotland (Chair);
Sheila Scobie, Scottish Executive (now Scottish Government);
Jennifer Hamilton, Scottish Executive (now Scottish Government);
Ian Ross, Forestry for People Advisory Panel;
Mike Wood, Scottish Environment LINK;
David Crichton, Confederation of Forest Industries(UK) Ltd;
Cedric Wilkins, Scottish Forest Industries Cluster;
Alan Hampson, Scottish Natural Heritage;
Hugh Clayden, Forestry Commission Scotland (Secretary)