Scotland’s forestry industry is looking upbeat for the future thanks to a mix of maturing forests, high demand for home-grown timber, lower imports and the move towards a low-carbon economy, according to a Scottish minister.
Richard Lochhead, Scotland’s cabinet secretary for rural affairs and the environment, told the Low-Carbon Economy conference that “the right conditions” for Scotland’s forest industries could mean an increase on the sector’s current 31,000 jobs and £670m contribution to the economy.
He also told the conference, organised by the Forestry Commission and ConFor, that record levels of business investment in the sector – more than £250m during the past five years – and Scottish government support, gave further reasons for optimism.
“Scotland’s timber harvest is expected to increase dramatically by almost two million tonnes over the next decade,” said Mr Lochhead.
“This increased productivity, combined with increasing prices and increasing demand for home-grown timber – both for construction and as a renewable heat and energy fuel – means that the sector is looking strong for the foreseeable future.”
The conference was designed to bring together leaders from the forestry, energy, construction and land use/agriculture sectors to promote the range of opportunities that are opening up for home-grown timber.
