Local ‘contractor factor’ vital to forestry
Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS) team in Kintyre has highlighted the essential nature of the relationship that FLS has with contractors up and down the country, following the completion of the first commercial forestry planting at Dalbuie (by Campbeltown) for 50 years.
Road construction to provide access, ground preparation, and the planting of 40,000 commercial conifers on the 15ha site was carried out by Kintyre based companies, with yet more likely to assist with the ongoing management and maintenance of the site over the next 35-40 years, until it is ready for harvesting.
Tommy McGrory, FLS Assistant Operations Manager in the area, said;
“This is the first new commercial timber we’ve planted in this area since 1977 and it’s woodland creation like this that is an economic mainstay in many fragile rural communities.
“As well as the preparation and planting, maintenance and eventual harvesting services are usually provided by local contractors, too.
“The work we offer is a vital factor in helping keep many small business running but at the same time, without the ‘contractor factor’ we wouldn’t be able to deliver all the environmental, recreational and economic benefits that we provide if it wasn’t for the small businesses providing their services.
“It’s a mutually beneficial relationship that often goes unsung because it’s not in the public eye – but it’s all part of the £1billion contribution that the forestry sector makes to the Scottish economy every year.”
Every year Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) helps to support around 72 different suppliers in the forestry contracting sector that assist in the delivery of a range of functions and services, with many contractors providing more than one service.
This does not include smaller contractors working on contracts valued at less than £10k.
Road works at the Dalbuie site were carried out by McFadyen’s Contractors (Campbeltown), cultivation (mounding) by ICD Contracting (Tarbert), and the planting by a team from Andrew Duncan Garden Maintenance and Landscaping (Campbeltown).
The newly planted site will in time yield around 6000 tonnes of sustainable timber which will be used in construction, pallets and paper.
Notes to editors
- Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
- Media enquiries to media@forestryandland.gov.scot