Forestry and woodlands

Farming for Foresters

With one third of UK woodlands on farms, it is more important than ever that foresters have a better understanding of farmers and farming and the huge opportunities that agroforestry brings. These online sessions will enable members to understand how best to integrate and better manage trees in the farmed landscape from a position of understanding farm systems and enterprises.

Scotland's Pinewood Conference

This October, Scotland’s Pinewood Conference 2024, aims to bring together a wide range of people interested in pinewood management to examine how landscape scale management can lead to ecosystem recovery, focusing on western pinewoods.

Official statistics published 20 June have revealed that Scotland has created the highest number of new woodland for 34 years.

The figures also show that nearly 75% of all new woodland throughout the UK were established in Scotland last year.

Saving Wildcats talk at Laggan Village Hall

European wildcats crossed from the Continent into Britain after the end of the last Ice Age, around 9,000 years ago. Once widespread, the species is now on the brink of extinction in Scotland. A sad history of habitat loss, persecution and, more recently, breeding with domestic cats, has forced the Highland Tiger to a point where the population is no longer viable.  Without urgent action, wildcats will be lost forever from our shores.

South West Scotland Future Landscapes Conference

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) are proud to host the first South West Scotland Future Landscape Conference. This event will also launch the SRUC/SOSE Natural Capital Innovation Partnership.

Scottish Forestry are funding a limited number of free Farm Woodland Assessments within the Central Scotland Green Network, which covers an area stretching from Ayrshire and Inverclyde in the west to Fife and the Lothians in the east.

The assessments will allow farmers the opportunity to assess their landholding for potential planting with no future obligations.

MSPs have backed legislation that will transform how the Scottish Government supports farming and food production.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill will ensure the Scottish Government can help farmers and crofters to produce more food more sustainably, supporting their essential role in climate mitigation and nature restoration. It will allow for a framework of payments that is responsive to the sector’s needs.

To help share learning and inspire community organisations, Scottish Rural Network have published a trio of video case studies focusing on rural and island community resources and spaces.

A long-term photography study has revealed the scale of nature restoration at National Nature Reserves (NNRs) across the Highlands.

NatureScot has carried out repeat photography to illustrate the changes that have happened to the natural habitats at its NNRs over time.

This involves re-taking historical photos at the same location, and at the same time of year – in some cases dating back 70 years. 

Safety Awareness in Mechanised Forestry

Mechanised forest operations carry significant risk and many of the fatal and serious accidents within our industry are caused by workers entering risk zones of machinery or chainsaw operations. This course is designed to highlight the most common risks associated with mechanised forestry and describe controls that all workers should observe to keep themselves safe.

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