Question reference: S6W-00399
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 2 June 2021
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Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 June 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what area of land Forestry and Land Scotland and its predecessor, Forest Enterprise Scotland, has disposed of in each year since 2007-08, also broken down by how much was raised.
Answer
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and its predecessor Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES) has sold the following under the New Woodland Investment Programme (2021 - 2017) / Repositioning Programme (2007 – 2016). The figures in the following table include 6,598 hectares sold / transferred to communities and NGO’s under the National Forest Land Scheme and Community Asset Transfer Scheme:
Financial Year | Area (Ha) | Proceeds (£) |
2007-2008 | 2,960.35 | 6,957,864 |
2008-2009 | 2,906.41 | 12,316,593 |
2009-2010 | 5,418.28 | 14,505,670 |
2010-2011 | 6,635.73 | 12,057,479 |
2011-2012 | 5,795.61 | 14,922,765 |
2012-2013 | 3,592.35 | 10,464,333 |
2013-2014 | 4,826.25 | 14,468,081 |
2014-2015 | 1,061.07 | 4,285,000 |
2015-2016 | 9,244.82 | 15,669,100 |
2016-2017 | 2,474.40 | 3,658,000 |
2017-2018 | 1,786.66 | 7,301,089 |
2018-2019 | 1,911.30 | 5,755,656 |
2019-2020 | 1,628.23 | 14,572,952 |
2020-2021 | 1,914.85 | 5,523,000 |
Totals | 52,156.31 | 142,457,582 |
Excluded are sales of ‘surplus’ assets, typically buildings and small parcels of land, sold under the Rationalisation policy.
The funds for disposals have been used for the following:
- Acquiring land for planting;
- Cost of woodland creation;
- Maintenance and management of new woodland creation;
- Starter Farms initiative;
- Transaction and programme costs both for acquisitions and disposals.
The New Woodland Investment programme was closed at the end of FY 20-21 and there will be no further land sales as part of the programme. Further acquisitions / residual obligations (to cover future costs as detailed above) remain to be discharged over the following four year period.
As announced as part of last year’s Capital Spending Review, FLS were allocated £30M of capital funding over the next five years (starting in FY 21-22) to purchase land for woodland creation and expansion of Scotland’s national forests and land.
The woodland sold by FLS / FES remains managed as woodland. Using the proceeds to subsequently purchase and plant additional land has ensured that the area of woodland in Scotland continues to increase.