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PE1812: Protect Scotland's remaining ancient, native and semi-native woodlands and woodland floors

Petitions summary

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to deliver world-leading legislation giving Scotland's remaining fragments of ancient, native and semi-native woodlands and woodland floors full legal protection before COP 26 (UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties) in Glasgow in November 2021.

Petitioner: Audrey Baird and Fiona Baker on behalf of Help Trees Help Us

Status: Under consideration

Date published: 05 August 2020

Click here for the full petition

SPICe Briefing

Letter from the Convener to Minister for Environment and Land Reform (187.7KB, pdf) (188KB, pdf) posted 16 December 2022

Committee Meetings

17 September 2020: The Committee agreed to write to NatureScot, Strategic Development Planning Authorities and Scottish Land and Estates.

Official Report of Meeting 17 September 2020

13 January 2021: The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to its next meeting.

Official Report of Meeting 13 January 2021

27 January 2021: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

Official Report of Meeting 27 January 2021

10 March 2021: The Committee agreed to continue this petition and include it in its legacy paper for its successor Committee,along with a suggestion to seek an update from the Scottish Government on its response to the independent Deer Working Group, any progress that has been made to develop its new biodiversity strategy and further information on any legislation it intends to bring forward relevant to the issues raised by the petition.

Official Report of Meeting 10 March 2021

8 September 2021: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

Official Report of Meeting 8 September 2021

2 February 2022: The Committee agreed to invite the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, the Petitioners, the Forestry Commission and the RSPB to give evidence.

Official Report of Meeting 2 February 2022

9 March 2022: The Committee took evidence from petitioners Audrey Baird and Fiona Baker, and then proceeded to a roundtable discussion with Claudia Rowse - NatureScot, Arina Russell - Woodland Trust Scotland, Doug Howieson - Scottish Forestry, Andy Leitch - Confor and Andrew Weatherall – RSPB. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard on this petition at a future meeting.

Official Report of Meeting 9 March 2022

23 March 2022: The Committee took evidence from Máiri McAllan, Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform and Doug Howieson, Scottish Forestry. The Committee agreed to consider the evidence heard on this petition at a future meeting.

Official Report of Meeting 23 March 2022

4 May 2022: The Committee agreed to undertake a visit to an ancient and/or native woodland to explore the issues raised in this petition. It also agreed to write to the Scottish Local Authorities and Scottish Forrestry.

Official Report of Meeting 4 May 2022

9 November 2022: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government, the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee and the Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee.

Official Report of Meeting 9 November 2022

28 June 2023: The Committee agreed to write to the Scottish Government.

Official Report of Meeting 28 June 2023