Update woodland management guidance and plans including those for restocking from 2025 onwards to reflect greater emphasis on actions that will improve biodiversity.
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.
No revised Scottish Forestry guidance or restocking standards have been published confirming implementation of the 2025 biodiversity strengthening commitment.
Delivery continues under existing Scottish forestry systems, primarily the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) as applied by Scottish Forestry, with approvals for woodland creation, felling, and restocking required to demonstrate compliance. Forestry and Land Scotland Land Management Plans also operate within these UKFS requirements.
No published monitoring data shows changes in restocking practice or biodiversity outcomes linked to this commitment.
Biodiversity requirements already exist within the UK Forestry Standard and are applied through Scottish Forestry approvals and FLS land management planning. Outcomes depend on implementation choices rather than policy intent. There is no evidence yet of revised guidance or measured ecological improvement linked specifically to this commitment.
Scottish Forestry – UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)
Scottish Forestry – Managing woodland guidance
Forestry and Land Scotland – Land Management Planning
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).
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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