The Forestry Commission Scotland has released a new publication to address growing business and environmental challenges that may be posed to forests in the future. Source: Farming UK
’Achieving Diversity in Scotland’s Forest Lanscapes’ is aimed at owners and managers of conifer woodlands. The practice guide includes case studies, highlights decisions which managers need to make when they are preparing a Forest Plan.
“Most of Scotland’s woodlands are 20th century conifer forests. They were planted primarily for commercial benefits and with little thought to their impact on local landscapes or their contribution to biodiversity” said Stewart Stevenson, Scotland’s Minister for the Environment.
“These forests are reaching maturity and are being felled and replanted – and this provides a perfect opportunity to restructure them. With careful design and planning these forests can be made more resilient to climate change and other associated risks whilst becoming more diverse habitats and enhancing the local landscape.
“Such restructured forests would continue to provide the nation with quality timber and other wood products – but by incorporating other tree species suited to the site they could also present new business – and recreation – opportunities.”
Drawn up with input from landscape architects, forest ecologists and professional foresters, the guidance addresses the challenges facing forest managers in achieving the requirements of the UKFS and offers integrated management options for delivering diversity in a range of situations.
Selecting alternative species that are better suited to the projected conditions – and adopting appropriate silvicultural systems – could create different economic opportunities. Achieving this is one of the key challenges for sustainable forest management.
