Scotland is renowned throughout the world for the diversity of its landscapes. Visitors are drawn by prospects of scenery that ranges from the rich tapestry of the farmed lowlands to the wild and rugged simplicity of the Highlands, all fringed by spectacular coastline and seascapes. Scotland’s landscapes are not only a setting for our daily lives but also a historical reference of our cultural heritage.
Forests and woodlands are an integral part of the Scottish landscape. Their contribution to the visual scene may have waxed and waned over the centuries, but fostered by active stewardship and continued expansion, trees and their associated flora and fauna are an essential characteristic of many of Scotland’s landscapes.
The rapid expansion of predominantly introduced conifers throughout the 20th century has added significantly to the woodland cover of Scotland. These plantations are now reaching the stage where they are being progressively felled and restocked, initiating what is probably the largest environmental design and planning exercise ever seen in this country.
The UK Forestry Standard states that "Forestry expansion must be balanced with the needs of other land-uses and respect the character of the landscape"
and goes on to provide fundamental information on landscape considerations. It also refers to the suite of FC Landscape Design Guidelines, which provide ‘best practice’ information. The UK Forestry Standard and the Landscape Design Guidelines are all available from FC publications.
