Forestry and woodlands

The Dumfries & Galloway Tree Planting Grant scheme (DGTPG) is still open for applications. 

The DGTPG covers the whole of the Dumfries and Galloway area and seeks to grow the numbers of woodland trees with small areas of planting to benefit the Dumfries and Galloway landscape whilst promoting the guardianship of woodland environments in local communities.

Highlands Rewilding has just published its Fourth Annual Natural Capital Report. 

The report focuses on a year of baseline biodiversity monitoring at the Tayvallich estate on the west coast of Scotland, along with monitoring and restorative updates from its two other Scottish estates, Bunloit, on the banks of Loch Ness, and Beldorney, in Aberdeenshire.

More than 1,200 hectares of degraded rainforest habitat are now on the road to recovery thanks to Scottish Government funding.

Almost £5 million has already been invested in rainforest restoration since 2023 and a further £5 million for ongoing restoration efforts was allocated as part of the draft 2025/26 Budget.

A bumper year of entries saw excellence in all sectors, from community to forestry, conservation to farming and climate to schools. And each was showcased during a grand ceremony at the Scottish Parliament.

Local groups, farmers, foresters and large estates were all recognised at the national event, held by Scotland’s Finest Woods to coincide with National Tree Week.

Jean Nairn, Executive Director of Scotland’s Finest Woods, said:

With the impending storm season approaching, Scottish Forestry have highlighted its guidance about managing storm damaged trees to owners of small woodlands.