Additional sources of revenue are needed to protect the UK forestry industry from further erosion, the Forestry & Timber Association (FTA) has urged.

At the association’s AGM on April 29 chairman Robert Scott said the industry’s basic infrastructure was being eroded at an “alarming” rate.

He said: “We are deeply concerned about the plight of not only the smaller forestry contractors, who do so much valuable work, particularly in small woodlands, but also for the larger contractors and timber hauliers, who cannot meet hire purchase commitments unless their machines are fully utilised.”

Mr Scott said either more funding needed to be available for grant schemes or existing monies should be allocated in a fairer way. Additional incentives could be provided through the taxation system to encourage sustainable forest management.

&#8220We are deeply concerned about the plight of not only the smaller forestry contractors, but also for the larger contractors and timber hauliers, who cannot meet hire purchase commitments unless their machines are fully utilised”

FTA chairman Robert Scott

The FTA identified four priority issues for 2003: cost reduction and simplification of certification for small woodland owners; seeking additional public support for forestry; lobbying for control of grey squirrels; and lobbying for the newly-devolved Forest Enterprise to play a more integrated industry role.

At the AGM, Highlands-based firm WindFarm Ltd launched its joint project with the Forestry Commission to pioneer the commercial application of forest-scale tree-topping as a technique for preventing windblow. The method could enable plantation crops to be grown longer and to produce crops of greater volumes.