Question reference: S5W-35823
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 8 March 2021
-
Current status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 19 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of a draft being circulated in September 2019, when the final version of the application guidance for the cultivation for upland productive woodland creation sites will be published, and what the reasons have been for any delay.
Answer
Scottish Forestry has been working with a range of stakeholders to develop operational guidance on soil cultivation for woodland creation in Scotland.
A final draft of this guidance is being considered by Scottish Forestry’s Customer Representatives Group at their next meeting on 17 March 2021, with the intention of it being finalised and published soon after.
The 2019 draft introduced restrictions on the use of cultivation techniques with a higher level of soil disturbance. Some members of the CRG had concerns over these restrictions and the potential impacts. In response Scottish Forestry sought assistance from Forest Research to help determine whether restrictions were appropriate. This work, coupled with Covid 19 has delayed the publication.