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

2. 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

3. Thank you

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Thank you