Confor Industry Update Dryfesdale, Lockerbie Thank you Stuart Goodall & Jamie Farquhar Wednesday 15th March 2017

Lobbying and media Thank you Forestry debates in Holyrood & Westminster Evidence to Holyrood committees – budget, climate change and Brexit UK EFRA committee inquiry Scottish Forestry Bill Meeting with Fergus Ewing to discuss indyref2 Countryfile feature on forestry Post-Brexit rural policy and future planting Thank you

Lobbying and media Thank you Timber Transport funding (STTS) £7.85m, includes c. £1m for Timberlink Wood supply FES restock strategy and plant availability Annual Recurrent Payments ARD (Agriculture & Rural Development) Group Thank you

Mackinnon report Thank you Acceptance of recommendations in principle Action plan on website – review progress in May Delivery Reference Group 6 workstreams: Pre-application & consultation process EIA processing Approval process Management info & targets Promotion, training & public info Pilot scheme Thank you

Forestry Grant Scheme Thank you 1,207 of 1,569 applications approved since 9/2015 9,106 ha new woodland creation approved (1/3 in D&G) 60% conifer Further 1,200 ha NWC being worked on Anticipate 8,500 to 9,000 ha could be approved for planting in 2017/18 season 12,000 ha NWC in pipeline Thank you

Forestry Grant Scheme Thank you Restock – 11,600 ha approved to date New rates for high cost deer fencing – “very remote rural areas” Bracken control £225/ha for all NWC Extra £400 / ha for native woods in Highland Thank you

Tree Health Thank you P ramorum outbreaks in Mull and …. ? Dendroctonus - R grandis breeding programme at risk … ? Illegal / counterfeit pesticides – hylobius control (Gazelle SG) Aceta 20SG, Acetamex 20SP, Persist, Sangue and Vulcan Insyst Thank you

Green spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum) Most important defoliating pest of Sitka spruce Attacks reduce tree growth - on average by 6% per year (although rarely causes tree mortality) UK forestry hugely reliant on Sitka spruce. Climate change (warmer winters) - potential damage increases in future

Brown spruce longhorn beetle Given impacts on red spruce in Canada, concerns over potential impacts on Sitka spruce •Previous interceptions and findings in the UK, including near Edinburgh, but all individuals and not breeding populations

Other matters Sporting rates – Appeal - !!!!!!! Feral pigs Thank you

Diary dates Thank you 16 March Customer Reps Group 22 March Central SFTT meeting 4/5 April Wood Wisdom – Edinburgh 27 April RSFS annual lecture – James Pendlebury 23 June RHS forestry day SFW awards 7/8 Sept Confor Woodland Show – Longleat 25 Oct Next South Scotland SFTT meeting Thank you

Thank you