srdp forestry working group
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SRDP FORESTRY WORKING GROUP. Woodland Expansion Advisory Group 22 May 2012. Land Use Strategy. Proposal 7 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
SRDP FORESTRY WORKING GROUP
Woodland Expansion Advisory Group
22 May 2012
Land Use Strategy
Proposal 7
• Identify more closely which types of land are best for tree planting in the context of other land-based objectives, and promote good practice and local processes in relation to tree planting so as to secure multiple benefits.
WEAG Membership
• Dr Andrew Barbour: Chair. Woodland adviser to Atholl Estates• George McRobbie: UPM Tilhill• Angus Mccall: Scottish Tenant Farmers’ Association• Dr Andrew Midgley: Scottish Land and Estates• Nigel Miller: NFU Scotland • Jonnie Hall: NFU Scotland• George Milne: National Sheep Association• David Barnes: Scottish Government Rural and Environment Directorate• Professor Jeff Maxwell: Ex-Director of Macaulay Land Use Research Institute• Bob McIntosh: Director, Forestry Commission Scotland• Susan Davies: Scottish Natural Heritage• Jo O’Hara: Scottish Government Rural and Environment Directorate• Hamish Macleod: Director BSW and Chair of FC Scotland’s National Committee• Mark Aitken: Scottish Environmental Protection Agency • Stuart Goodall: Confor • Vicki Swales: RSPB Scotland• Simon Pepper: SNH Board member and former director WWF• Ian Ross: former Highland Council Chair of Highland Council Planning,
Environment and Development Committee• Bill Ritchie: Scottish Crofting Federation
WEAG work programme
• Commissioned analyses of land availability by James Hutton Institute and Forest Research
• Consultation exercise and public meetings in Dumfries, Oban, Inverness, Huntly, Perth and Newtown St Boswells
• Reporting to Cabinet Secretary at Highland Show
• Working papers online at [email protected]
Land analysis: Phase 1
• Biophysically unsuitable• Already woodland• Prime agricultural land• Deep peat
• In total 46% of Scotland ruled out in first phase of study.
Land analysis: Phase 2
• Nature conservation and landscape designations (orange)
• A further 20% of Scotland is shown to be significantly constrained in second phase of study.
Land analysis: Phase 3
• About one third of Scotland has, in theory, potential for woodland establishment…
• …but lots of ‘buts’!
• Rough grazing (blue)• Improved grassland
(purple)• Mixed agriculture
(green)
Phase 3 Land Stocking Rate Analysis
• SG/JHI analysis, based on Census data etc
• less than 2 per cent of Scotland’s total livestock units would be displaced or lost from production through planting 100,000 hectares of improved/rough grazing on Phase 3 land over the next ten years.
• impact on livestock production could be reduced
through careful choice of land for planting and effective integration with agricultural operations.
Some issues from WEAG consultation
• Deciding, strategically, where there are opportunities for woodland creation (reflecting, eg, socio-economic as well as environmental impacts)
• Integrating woodland creation with other land use objectives (including opportunities for agroforestry)
• Grants/SRDP
• Making the most of existing woodlands
• Providing advice and support for woodland creation
Advice and support
• Calls for better integration between the agricultural and forestry sectors in Scotland.
• Strong views were expressed about farmers not having the necessary skills or knowledge to engage in forestry.
• Proposed solutions included more sharing of knowledge and education between farming and forestry, so that (eg) farmers would have the skills to establish and manage woodlands themselves.
• Also suggested that farm advisers have a key role to play in encouraging farmers to manage their existing woodlands and to consider opportunities for creating new woodlands.
SRDP/grants
• need to avoid hiatus between SRDP1 & SRDP2
• too bureaucratic, complex, and uncertain
• mismatch between incentives and policy objectives
• importance of facilitators/advisers (eg to encourage collaborative proposals between neighbours)
• ‘Applicant’s Charter’
• financial risk of failure/reclaim a major deterrent
• compensation for agricultural income foregone