National Forestry Stakeholder Group background paper - Improving Biodiversity across all forests and woodlands - April 2024

This paper - from April 17 2024 - aims to frame the topic of forests and biodiversity in Scotland. The paper:

• sets out the current strategic context and policy framework and key evidence and monitoring
• outlines a number of challenges as the basis for discussion and sets out tools enabling practical implementation across all of our forests
• does not try and cover all implementation and delivery activity
• is intended to enable discussion at the meeting

National Forestry Stakeholder Group discussion paper - Delivering local community benefits and wealth building - 14 March 2023

Scotland’s Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan 2022-25, sets out a shared ambition to develop and implement a framework for increasing forestry’s contribution to the delivery of local community benefits and community wealth building.

This discussion paper (14 March 2023) begins by providing a context for this ambition, before presenting a small selection of case studies to help inform discussions at the meeting on how it can be delivered.

National Forestry Stakeholder Group discussion paper - Building Resilient Future Forests

This paper gives a background to building resilience in our forests and woodlands as part of wider work on climate and landscape resilience, to:

• inform discussions on how policy and practice could evolve to support the vision set out in Scotland’s Forestry Strategy (along with wider Scottish Government objectives)
• create more resilient forest and woodland ecosystems by 2070

National Forestry Stakeholder Meeting Resilience notes 10 Nov 2022 final

National Forestry Stakeholder Meeting - Resilience, 10th November 2022.

National Stakeholder Group - Note of meeting - Biodiversity - April 24

Draft notes of the National Stakeholder Group Meeting - Biodiversity, from 17 April 2024.

Notes cover the following points of discussion:

1. Welcome and Introductions - Alan Hampson
2. Opening Remarks - Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
3. Scottish Biodiversity Framework update - David Signorini
4. Woodland Biodiversity - Helen Sellars
5. Discussion around the two questions posed relation to priorities in the face of climate change, and what new tools or approaches could be developed.
6. Summing up - Alan Hampson
7. Next steps and close

National Stakeholder Group - Note of meeting - Urban woodlands - 14 November 2024

Draft notes of the National Stakeholder Group Meeting - Urban woodlands, from 14 November 2024.

Notes cover the following points of discussion:

1. Welcome and introductions - Paul Lowe (Chief Executive of Scottish Forestry).
2. Opening Remarks - Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
3. Overview of the discussion paper and questions to be considered - Dr. Amy Nicolson (Communities and Urban Woodlands Advisor at Scottish Forestry)
4. Break out group discussions - Bob Frost (Head of the Forests for People team at Scottish Forestry)
5. Summing up, next steps and closing remarks - Paul Lowe
6. Appendix 1: Organisations represented at the meeting
7. Appendix 2: Summary of breakout group discussions

National Stakeholder Group - Terms of reference

Terms of reference for the National Stakeholder Group.

National Stakeholder Group agenda - 11 May 2022

National Stakeholder Group agenda and paper - 28 July 2021

View the agenda and paper for Scotland's National Forestry Stakeholder Group held on 28 July 2021.

National Stakeholder Group discussion paper - Urban woodlands - November 2024

Urban and peri-urban woodlands: how do we work together to optimise their contribution to the delivery of benefits to local people and communities?

Urban and peri-urban forests and woods support various policy goals. For example, they help address the climate and biodiversity crises.

Their proximity to people makes them distinct from more remote woods. Carrying the potential to improve the lives of over 80% of the population.

Over the last 20 years, collective efforts, supported by government and a range of partners, has helped ensure:

• active management of almost 12,000 hectares of urban or peri-urban woodland
• the creation of 2,000 hectares of new woodlands
• the upgrading or installation of just under 600 km of paths.

The use of urban and peri-urban woodlands by socially deprived communities also increased by 20 to 25%.

This paper sets out several key strategic considerations for discussion at the National Stakeholder Meeting. It draws on insights from a recent policy stocktaking exercise. We must reflect if we are to grow the benefits of urban and peri-urban woodlands to local people and communities.

National Stakeholder Group discussion paper for stakeholders - 11 May 2022

National Stakeholder Group meeting note - 11 May 22