Weaknesses in support systems to deliver the Scottish Executive‘s Scottish Forestry Strategy were highlighted by members of the Forestry and Timber Association (FTA) when they met MSP Allan Wilson, the deputy minister for rural affairs, last week.
The FTA delegation, led by chairman for Scotland Michael Bruce, flagged up matters of funding for private forestry, timber transport and land reform – especially the poor relationship between existing health and safety law and access proposals – with the minister.
The FTA said it hoped its concerns about forthcoming access legislation would be taken on board as forestry operations are dangerous and the public needed to be protected.
The association is also worried about a fall-off in new tree planting due, it said, to excessive bureaucracy and a 22% per hectare real reduction in planting grant since 1994.
Another point of disquiet is the transport of timber. FTA director Scotland James Farquhar said that if the problems of getting timber onto usable roads were not addressed quickly, forest industry expansion plans would not happen and innovative sea and rail transport investments would be hindered.
