A comprehensive strategic plan has been launched by Scottish Forestry to bolster the resilience of Scotland's forests against the growing impacts of climate change.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating that "doing nothing is not an option" in the face of increasing extreme weather events, pests, and diseases affecting the nation's woodlands.

The newly published 'routemap', the first of its kind in the UK, outlines a series of key actions aimed at enabling Scotland's forests to resist, adapt to, respond to, and recover from current climate-related threats. These resilience measures encompass both immediate and long-term priorities to be implemented over the next decade.

Ms Gougeon commented on the increasing evidence of climate change impacts: "Over the past few years we have had plenty of evidence that the global effects of climate change are increasing the frequency of extreme weather events." She highlighted the specific challenges facing Scotland, including hotter, drier summers, warmer, wetter winters, and severe storms, stressing the need to "future proof our forest and woodlands against this."

While acknowledging the work already underway, Ms Gougeon asserted the need for further action: "Doing nothing is not an option and I am pleased that much work has already taken place to counter this and make our forests more resilient. But we can and must do more. The routemap published today provides a strategic and comprehensive action plan with clear work to be undertaken to boost our forests for the future."

-- Advertisement --

The strategic plan prioritises work in three key areas:

• Forest planning: Introducing measures to mitigate future risks and threats.

• Species choice and silviculture: Selecting and cultivating tree species that are expected to thrive in future conditions.

• Knowledge exchange: Sharing best practices, providing training, and publishing additional resources.

Helen Sellars, Head of Sustainable Forest Management at Scottish Forestry, emphasised the complexity of the challenge: "There is no one magic prescription that can instantly make our forests and woodland resilient to climate change. We need to act now as this precious natural asset is being put under increasing pressure from a number of threats." She added that the routemap will serve as a "blueprint" to achieve smarter forest planning, the cultivation of appropriate tree species, and the effective sharing of knowledge.

The plan includes a wide range of actions, such as utilising scenario planning, employing new technologies like AI, eDNA, and satellite data, increasing the use of ‘smart silviculture', and improving monitoring and surveillance of ecosystems. It also addresses the importance of ensuring seed availability, implementing tree improvement programmes, developing silvicultural knowledge, coordinating genetic resources, and compiling a list of tree species suitable for the future. Additionally, the plan includes knowledge workshops to facilitate learning from international experiences.

A steering group, led by Scottish Forestry, coordinated the development of the routemap, with membership including representatives from CONFOR, Scottish Environment LINK, industry groups and organisations, Forest Research, Forestry and Land Scotland, and independent forest management experts.

Andrew Weatherall, Vice Convener of the Woodlands Group with Scottish Environment Link, welcomed the plan and the collaborative approach: "We welcome this routemap and the collaborative cross-sector approach being taken. Importantly it identifies the actions necessary to increase resilience to climate change, and the growing number of pests and diseases in our trees, woods and forests. This is vital, so they can continue to provide biodiversity habitat, climate adaptation and mitigation, public access to nature and domestic timber supply."

Andy Leitch, Deputy Chief Executive of Confor, also endorsed the plan: "Confor endorses the ambitions of the action plan and welcomes the partnership approach with the private sector to ensure the future productivity of our forests and future timber security. Overall, we support this collaborative approach and are happy to be named participants against the actions and outcomes of the plan."

James Pendlebury, CEO of Forest Research, affirmed his organisation's support: "Forest Research is supporting the routemap by providing the scientific evidence base and expert advice needed to help make our trees, woodland and forests more resilient to climate change and all its associated impacts."