The £13m transport fund was launched last year and is available until March 31, 2008. It is designed to cut timber transportation on Scottish roads through, for example, the development of in-forest roads and road improvements which will help link forests to sea and rail loading facilities.
Scottish forestry minister Rhona Brankin hopes to announce the first successful projects within a month.
She said: “This is excellent news for Scotland’s timber industry. We now have the means to progress the current applications to our Strategic Timber Transport Scheme which has the potential to deliver many benefits to rural communities across the country, mitigate climate change impacts, encourage timber transport by sea and rail, and contribute to the reduction of lorry mileage on fragile public roads.”
