Thursday, 25 August 2022
As it gears up to procure specialist peatland restoration for a new round of contracts, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is surveying forestry contractors to help it scope out the range and capacity of the sector. In order to best inform the FLS approach to the future procurement of these services, it is essential that FLS understand the size, scope, capacity, and future aspirations of the ...
Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland’s licensed September cull of female deer is to begin next week as part of its management of the deer population in order to protect Scotland’s national forests. Coming in the wake of the recent call from Biodiversity Minister, Lorna Slater, for a sustainable solution to Scotland’s deer problem, the September cull, makes use of existing intervention powers and is l...
Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Visitor management has been an issue across much of the Highlands and Islands in recent years, fuelled in the last couple of years by lockdown regulations and the growth of staycations. While we welcome all visitors and encourage people to explore Scotland's national forests and land, we must ensure there are adequate facilities and infrastructure to cater for the increasing numbers of visitors, p...
Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is inviting the local community from Whitburn, Harthill, Fauldhouse and Longridge to come along discuss the area and help inform the design of a new woodland. The Polkemmet site was purchased by FLS in 2020 with the aim of establishing a new multipurpose woodland delivering timber production, carbon capture, biodiversity value, as well as community and social bene...
Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland’ north Region team last month played host to a group of foresters from Ireland who were on a two day fact-finding trip to share expertise on various aspects of modern forestry. The four-strong group from Coillte, Ireland’s state forest service, visited five sites and discussed issues ranging from restocking low fertility sites and pest control, to peatland restorati...
Tuesday, 09 August 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland’s team in the central belt is asking members of the public to report any suspicious activity in local forests. The call comes after a number of incidents where padlocks have been broken and removed as a precursor, it is thought, to more serious criminal activity. Carol McGinnis, FLS Central Region manager, said; “We have had several instances recently of damage to...
Thursday, 04 August 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland is inviting anyone with an interest in how Kilsture Forest is managed over the next 20 years to take part in a consultation and make their views known. Lying within the Machars, the 203ha Kilsture Forest is a relatively unexplored gem of a broadleaf woodland lying in the rural Machars. It is 18 km to the south of Newton Stewart and adjacent to the local communities of S...
Thursday, 28 July 2022
New research commissioned by Scottish Forestry offers evidence that commercial forestry will be the mainstay of climate emergency mitigation in Scotland’s push towards Net Zero. A recently published report, with work carried out by Forest Research, assesses different options for woodland creation and management from the perspective of carbon sequestration and a reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emiss...
Tuesday, 26 July 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is trialling the use of drone-captured thermal imaging technology to track deer numbers across 1000 hectares of enclosed conservation woodland around Loch Katrine. After an increase in reports of deer entering the enclosed area, FLS is now able to identify and monitor exact numbers in a bid to prevent damage to the regenerating young woodland. The area sur...
Thursday, 21 July 2022
A landscape scale restoration project that will see an old conifer forest transformed into a modern, ‘mosaic’ forest, starts in earnest this month. Located in a part of West Sutherland renowned for its mountainous landscapes made up of the oldest rocks in Europe, Forestry and Land Scotland’s West Sutherland land management plan will restore blanket bog and plant new native woodland as...
Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland have now awarded its five-year, £25-31 million deer management tender for ten major regional contracts. The contracts will bring direct investment in communities across Scotland through the award of subcontracts, business up-scaling, the provision of training and apprenticeship opportunities. Being in effect from the end July 2022 will also give contactors...
Friday, 15 July 2022
Forestry and Land Scotland is to step up its efforts to manage the larch killing disease Phytophthora ramorum in a bid to get on the front foot in slowing the spread of the disease. First confirmed in Scotland in 2010 the fungus-like pathogen can affect Japanese, European and hybrid larch and over the past ten years, control measures have involved felling millions of trees across the country. Not...