Wednesday, July 16, 2025
The forestry sector in Scotland has been rocked by disappointing figures revealing a significant decline in woodland creation. New statistics show that tree planting in Scotland dropped sharply from 15,040 hectares in 2023/24 to just 8,470 hectares in 2024/25. This marks a dramatic decrease in woodland creation at a time when the country has set an ambitious target of planting 18,000 hectares annually.
Despite modest increases in tree planting in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, overall woodland creation across the UK has fallen from 20,660 hectares in 2023-24 to 15,690 hectares in 2024-25. The decline in Scotland’s planting figures has raised alarms among industry leaders who argue that urgent action is needed to reverse this downward trend.
Richard Hunter, National Manager for Scotland at Confor, the forestry and wood trade body, addressed the issue, emphasising the need for greater partnership working to address the barriers impeding woodland creation. He explained that the figures reflect the pressures and challenges faced by the industry. “The planting figures for Scotland highlight the pressures and barriers that new woodland creation faces. With the political ambition to achieve 18,000 hectares, the disappointing 8,470 hectares is a clear sign that we need greater partnership working to deliver more trees planted,” Mr Hunter said.
One of the most concerning aspects of the decline is the significant drop in conifer planting, a critical element for future timber production. The conifer planting figure fell from 8,720 hectares in 2023/24 to just 4,550 hectares in 2024/25, the lowest since 2018. Mr Hunter warned that this decrease is alarming given the current timber forecasts, which show a downward trend that could impact the future supply of domestic timber.
Hunter stressed the importance of productive forestry for Scotland’s economy and future timber security. “We need to continue to advocate the benefits that productive forestry brings to Scotland and its people. It brings jobs and investment to rural economies and supports more climate-friendly construction,” he said. The need for more productive planting is critical, especially as economic and environmental policies across the UK, including Scotland, are heavily reliant on domestic timber production.
However, the data also shows that the country is failing to meet this demand. Despite the clear need for more productive forests, Scotland is still not doing enough to increase conifer planting. Mr Hunter’s comments highlight the urgent need for action to reverse this trend and increase the creation of productive woodlands in the region.
Stuart Goodall, CEO of Confor, outlined several key factors contributing to the decline in tree planting. He pointed to reduced funding for woodland creation and the loss of access to carbon units as significant challenges. Furthermore, the approval process for large, mainly productive, woodland creation projects has experienced delays, further stalling progress.
“We saw 15,000 hectares planted in 2023/24, but there was only funding available in 2024/25 to plant 9,000 hectares – so the levels of ambition and confidence are adjusted as a result,” Mr Goodall explained. “We need to raise that ambition – and confidence – by explaining more clearly the very significant economic, environmental and social benefits of planting trees.”
To address these issues, Confor is pushing for multi-annual funding commitments to provide long-term certainty for the sector. Mr Goodall stressed that clearer and more predictable funding would give the forestry industry the confidence it needs to plan for the future. He also called for greater clarity regarding the formal application process and clearer timetables for decision-making on large woodland creation schemes.
“We will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government and its agencies – and all other stakeholders – to address these issues,” he said. “If we take swift action on these points, we can deliver the climate of confidence the industry needs to bring forward more high-quality productive planting schemes, which will in turn deliver long-term economic, environmental, and social benefits for rural communities across Scotland.”
While some progress has been made, the overall decline in planting across Scotland and the UK as a whole has created a sense of urgency within the forestry industry. Leaders are calling for swift action to address the challenges facing the sector, including improved funding, streamlined approval processes, and increased government support for productive planting.
The forestry industry is at a critical juncture, and the path forward requires a coordinated effort between the public and private sectors to boost investment in productive forestry. This investment would help meet the increasing demand for domestic timber and support the UK’s broader environmental goals.
In conclusion, the sharp fall in tree planting in Scotland has highlighted the need for a “climate of confidence” to encourage more productive woodland creation. Industry leaders like Richard Hunter and Stuart Goodall are calling for more robust policies, clearer funding mechanisms, and improved decision-making processes to support the sector. The benefits of productive forestry – from supporting the timber industry to contributing to climate change mitigation – are clear. Now, it’s time for the Scottish Government to take the necessary steps to ensure these benefits can be fully realised. Only through collective effort and investment can Scotland build the productive, sustainable woodlands needed for the future.
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Tags: Forestry, Forestry in UK, planting, Scotland, Scotland planting, Scotland productive forestry, scottish forestry, sustainable forestry, Timber Security, Timber security UK, Woodland Creation in Scotland, woodworking industry, woodworking UK
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