![]() | |
Agency overview | |
---|---|
Formed | 1 April 2019 |
Preceding agency | |
Type | Executive Agency of the Scottish Government |
Jurisdiction | Scotland |
Headquarters | Great Glen House ,Leachkin Road ,Inverness ,IV3 8NW |
Minister responsible | |
Agency executive |
|
Website | Official website |
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) (Scottish Gaelic : Coilltearachd agus Fearann Alba) is responsible for managing and promoting Scotland's national forest estate: land, predominantly covered in forest, owned by the Scottish Government on behalf of the nation. It was formed on 1 April 2019, to take over some of the responsibilities of Forestry Commission Scotland, which was dissolved. The organisation exists alongside Scottish Forestry, also established on 1 April 2019, which is responsible for regulation, policy and support to landowners. [1] Forestry and Land Scotland's key functions are to look after the national forest estate, including unforested land within this portfolio, and to produce and supply timber. Within this remit they are expected to enhance biodiversity, increase public access to the outdoors, encourage tourism and support the rural economy. [2]
The agency has been established initially to manage only the national forest estate, however it is intended that in future it may also take over management of other publicly owned land in Scotland. [3] This could include land currently managed by other public bodies such as Crown Estate Scotland and NatureScot; crofting estates and agricultural land owned by the Scottish Government; land owned by local authorities; and land owned by the UK Ministry of Defence. [4]
As an executive agency of the Scottish Government Forestry and Land Scotland operates at arm's length from the Scottish Government, and is regulated by Scottish Forestry. [5] It forms part of the Scottish Government's Environment and Forestry Directorate, and reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy. [6] FLS is headquartered in Inverness, and for organisational purposes it divides Scotland into five forest regions: [7]
The national forest estate consists of land owned by the Scottish Government and managed by FLS. The estate covers 6,400 km2, being roughly 8% of the land area of Scotland. Around two-thirds of this land (4,700 km2) is forested, with the remaining land consisting of a mixture of agricultural land and open areas such as moorland. [5] [8] In line with the requirement to increase public access to the outdoors and encourage tourism FLS provide facilities such as car parks, picnic areas, paths and mountain bike trails at many of their forests, [9] and as of 2008 the national forest estate received over ten million visitors each year. [10] FLS is responsible for over 1200 km of paths for walkers, 1300 km of trails for cyclists, six forest parks, five woodland parks, four national nature reserves, and the mountain biking venues of the 7stanes. [11] [10]
In 2015 it was estimated that national forest estate generated £395 million of Gross Value Added (GVA) for the Scottish economy each year, of which forestry and timber products accounted for £285 million, whilst tourism and recreation contributed £110 million. It was estimated that the estate supported 11,015 full-time equivalent jobs, of which 7,225 were in forestry and timber products and 3,790 were in recreation and tourism. [12] As part of the Scottish Government's strategy for improving sustainability, benefiting communities, reducing the effects of climate change and maximising financial returns from the national forest estate FLS is actively supporting the generation of renewable energy from the estate. As of January 2019 the capacity of wind and hydro power generation installed on the national forest estate was 1086 MW. [13]
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the management of publicly owned forests and the regulation of both public and private forestry in England.
The County of Bute, also known as Buteshire, is a historic county and registration county of Scotland.
Cowal is a rugged peninsula in Argyll and Bute, on the west coast of Scotland. It is bounded on the west by Loch Fyne and on the east by Loch Long and the Firth of Clyde. The Kyles of Bute separate it from Bute to the south.
The Kyles of Bute form a narrow sea channel that separates the northern end of the Isle of Bute from the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, on the Scottish mainland. The surrounding hillsides are roughly wooded, and overlooked by rocky tops and areas of moorland.
The Tillamook State Forest is a 364,000-acre (1,470 km2) publicly owned forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. Managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry, it is located 40 miles (64 km) west of Portland in the Northern Oregon Coast Range, and spans Washington, Tillamook, Yamhill, and Clatsop counties. The forest receives large amounts of precipitation and is dominated by Douglas-fir trees. Activities include commercial logging, recreation, and other commercial resource extraction activities such as mushroom hunting.
Galloway Forest Park is a forest park operated by Forestry and Land Scotland, principally covering woodland in Dumfries and Galloway. It is claimed to be the largest forest in the UK. The park was granted Dark Sky Park status in November 2009, being the first area in the UK to be so designated.
The United Kingdom, being in the British Isles, is ideal for tree growth, thanks to its mild winters, plentiful rainfall, fertile soil and hill-sheltered topography. In the absence of people, much of Great Britain would be covered with mature oaks, except for Scotland. Although conditions for forestry are good, trees face threats from fungi, parasites and pests. Nowadays, about 13% of Britain's land surface is wooded. European countries average 39%, but this varies widely from 1% (Malta) to 66% (Finland). As of 2021, government plans call for 30,000 hectares to be reforested each year. Efforts to reach these targets have attracted criticism for planting non-native trees, or trees that are out of place for their surroundings, leading to ecological changes.
Ardgoil is an estate in Argyll & Bute, Scotland. It is part of the Argyll forest park and is within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The Ardgoil estate is managed as part of the Argyll forest park by Forestry Commission Scotland. The Ardgoil estate is publicly owned land with the land title held for the public by the ministers of the Scottish Parliament. In the past the Ardgoil estate was also known as the city of Glasgow's Highland estate.
Scotland is ideal for tree growth, thanks to its mild winters, plentiful rainfall, fertile soil and hill-sheltered topography. As of 2019 about 18.5% of the country was wooded. Although this figure is well below the European Union (EU) average of 43%, it represents a significant increase compared to the figure of 100 years previously: in 1919 it was estimated that only 5% of the country's total land area was covered in forest. The Scottish Government's Draft Climate Change Plan has set an aim of increasing coverage to 21% of Scotland by 2032, with the rate of afforestation rising to 15,000 hectares per year by 2024.
Forestry England is a division of the Forestry Commission, responsible for managing and promoting publicly owned forests in England. It was formed as Forest Enterprise in 1996, before devolving to Forest Enterprise England on 31 March 2003 and then being rebranded to Forestry England on 1 April 2019.
Argyll Forest Park is a forest park located on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. Established in 1935, it was the first forest park to be created in the United Kingdom. The park is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, and covers 211 km2 in total.
Tay Forest Park is a forest park in the council area of Perth and Kinross in Scotland. It consists of a network of forests managed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) that are spread across the Highland parts of Perthshire, and covers 194 km2 (75 sq mi) in total. The park contains a series of disparate woods that are managed for multiple benefits, with an emphasis on recreation facilities for visitors.
Forest parks are areas of forest managed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) that are managed for multiple benefits, with an emphasis on recreation facilities for visitors. There are currently six forest parks in Scotland.
Glen Nant is a glen lying to the south of Taynuilt in the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. An area of woodland of 339 hectares on the western side of the River Nant is designated as national nature reserve (NNR), which is owned and managed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS). It is an example of an Atlantic Oakwood, and is one of largest areas of upland oak woodland in north Argyll.
Scottish Forestry is the public body responsible for forestry regulation, policy and support to private landowners in Scotland. It was formed on 1 April 2019, to take over some of the responsibilities of Forestry Commission Scotland, which was dissolved. Scottish Forestry exists alongside Forestry and Land Scotland, also established on 1 April 2019, which is responsible for managing and promoting the National Forest Estate.
Tweed Valley Forest Park is forest park in the border region of Scotland. It consists of a network of eight forests managed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) spread along the valley of the River Tweed, and which are managed with an emphasis on recreational facilities for visitors.
The regional parks of Scotland are areas of attractive countryside that are of importance for recreation due to their proximity to population centres. The parks are defined to co-ordinate the management of these areas by providing visitor facilities such as car parks, footpaths, ranger services and visitor centres.