Meet annual woodland creation target as set in the Scottish Government Climate Change Plans currently 18,000 hectares of new woodland annually (including 4000ha of native woodland).
Objective 4: Protect and support the recovery of vulnerable and important species and habitats
Priority Action 19. Ensure that forests and woodlands deliver increased biodiversity and habitat connectivity alongside timber and carbon outcomes.
Latest Scottish Government woodland statistics show that annual woodland creation in Scotland continues to fall short of the 18,000 hectare target (including 4,000 hectares of native woodland) set in climate policy. Recent reported planting levels remain below target in successive years, indicating the annual delivery gap has not yet been closed.
Delivery is still being supported through Forestry Grant Scheme incentives and Forestry and Land Scotland delivery programmes, but there is no published evidence that overall planting rates have reached the required annual target level consistently.
Woodland expansion is strongly supported by Scottish climate and biodiversity policy because it contributes to carbon sequestration, habitat creation, and landscape-scale ecological connectivity. Evidence from Scottish Forestry and NatureScot shows that native woodland creation in particular provides higher biodiversity value than commercial monoculture planting.
However, ecological benefit depends on both scale and composition of planting. While policy targets are clear, national statistics indicate the target level has not yet been consistently met, meaning full ecological potential has not been realised at system level.
Scottish Forestry – New woodland creation statistics published for Scotland
Rural Payments and Services – Woodland Creation
NatureScot – Forests and woodlands
Scottish Government – Forestry
Update woodland management guidance and plans including those for restocking from 2025 onwards to reflect greater emphasis on actions that will improve biodiversity.
Deliver key research and data analysis project (building on WEC) on improving understanding of biodiversity associated with our woodland types, to guide management requirements and maintain biodiversity in the face of climate change impacts.
Increase biodiversity across all woodlands by increasing the characteristics that improve woodland condition as identified by the Woodland Ecological Condition (WEC) National Statistic, initially by developing a tool based on WEC to allow site ecological condition assessment to be made by 2030.
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