Forestry and woodlands

A route map and list of draft measures has been published by The Scottish Government which provides further clarity on how they intend to deliver the ambitions set out in the Vision for Agriculture, published in March 2022.

Projects returning former industrial or derelict sites to community use will be more likely to be approved following the introduction of long term planning reforms.

Scotland has achieved its highest ever reported score in an international survey which asks 60,000 adults from 20 countries what their perceptions are of 60 nations.

The Nation Brands Index (NBI) 2022 survey scores and ranks countries across six dimensions including Culture, Tourism, Governance, Immigration and Investment, Exports, and People.

A report from the Scottish Government's Agricultural Policy Division - 'Reducing emissions from agriculture – the role of new farm technologies' - was published this week (6 February 2023). 

NatureScot will hold the first Nature Restoration Jobs and Skills Conference on the 13th March, giving prime opportunity for delegates to hear from a range of speakers on Scotland’s ambition for nature restoration.

RSABI, the organisation which supports people in Scottish agriculture, is urging those involved in farming and crofting to make the most of the grants and support services available to them, as the cost-of-living crisis continues to put significant pressure on the sector.

From 3^rd to 19^th February, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust are asking landowners and Gamekeepers to count and record all species of birds seen on their ground.  This is a census to determine how well conservation schemes such as supplementary feeding or growing wild bird seed are doing, and which species are benefiting from them.