Confor welcomes Scotland's continued forestry commitment

29 January 2021

Confor has welcomed the renewed commitment to forestry and wood processing in Scotland outlined in the Scottish Government's budget presented to Parliament on Thursday January 28th.

Stuart Goodall, Confor's Chief Executive, said: 

"Scotland has been leading the way in the UK on its support for forestry and wood processing.  Scotland already plants more than 80% of new woodlands in the UK and that was before the Scottish Government increased its target to 18,000 hectares a year by 2024‑25.  These figures have not been seen since the 1980s and the political commitment and leadership shown is much appreciated. 

"As the country comes out of the coronavirus pandemic, it's more important than ever to invest in clean, green jobs that will enable us to build back better and move towards a low carbon footprint for our economy.   

"This budget for forestry builds on the success of the last few years and should ensure the forestry and wood processing sectors are in an even better place to continue their green growth as key drivers of Scotland's land based economy.  We urge MSPs to support this budget."