Confor Industry Update Stirling Thank you Jamie Farquhar Thursday 27th October 2016

Lobbying Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing MSPs briefing = PQs on wood supplies Mackinnon review Presumption in favour of forestry that meets UKFS Timber Transport funding Thank you

Thank you

Brexit Thank you A thriving post-Brexit future for forestry and timber How to ensure planting in the short, medium and long-term  The future shape of rural policy and funding Legislation and better regulation  Timber standards, trade and migrant labour  Plant health Thank you

Brexit Thank you New planting and restocking Simplify the application process & reduce lead-in times by cutting administration Move towards a presumption in favour of new planting Consider innovative ways to encourage more tree planting, e.g. linking woodland creation to house building Thank you

Brexit Thank you Rural policy and funding Develop an integrated rural land management policy Simplify rural support mechanisms to focus on outcomes of land management Use accepted measurement and valuation methods to support transparent decision making Thank you

Brexit Thank you Environmental legislation Carry out risk-based revision of Environmental Impact Assessment thresholds Make interpretation and implementation of regulations consistent across all rural industries Review EU Environmental Directives and their impact on sawmills & timber processors Thank you

Brexit Timber standards, trade regulations and migrant labour Revise the Construction Products Regulation Ensure a post-Brexit immigration system recognizes the need for seasonal labour & temporary employment of foreign nationals Adopt a timber-first policy in procurement contracts, with a preference for domestic production Thank you

Brexit Thank you Plant health Phytosanitory certificates should be required for all imported material Restrict importation of firewood Achieve consistent levels of new planting to enable nurseries to plan effectively Thank you

Forestry Grant Scheme 600 applications approved to date 4,400 ha new woodland creation and 6,500 restock Further 4,000 ha NWC being worked on 12,000 ha NWC in pipeline Thank you

Tree Canopy report (NFI) 2006 – 15 for Britain 90 pages, 27 tables & 18 figures Complicated! Can’t assess whether woodland is actually until 10 yrs old Significant area presently “in transition” 36k on Scotland’s NFE 8.2% of the conifer woodland = 1 in 12 Ha Thank you

Update on wood fibre supply and demand report 2013 – 2035 comparison of demand from 140 UK production plants vs. 50-year biological wood fibre availability Supply /demand very squeezed in some regions Sawlogs could be used in normal SRW markets How to maximise supplies from the existing resource Thinnings? Short rotation forestry? Thank you

Diary dates Thank you 3 November Scotsman conference 28/29 Nov Woodheat conference 8 March North-east SFTT meeting 15 March South SFTT meeting 22 March Central SFTT meeting Thank you

Thank you