Views on devolved forestry legislation welcomed
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The Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee is encouraging individuals and organisations to share their views on the potential impact of new, devolved legislation for forestry, as it examines the Scottish government’s Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill at stage 1.Convener of the committee, Edward Mountain MSP said: “Forestry is a key area with the potential to bring huge social and economic benefits to Scotland’s rural economy. This bill will take Scotland a step closer to fully completing devolution of the sector, as well as providing Scottish ministers with wider powers to manage forestry and other land. We want to make sure that this updated approach to forestry and land management in Scotland is fair, proportionate and fit for purpose.”He added: “The bill has a focus on sustainable forest management and more broadly on sustainable development. It also contains provisions surrounding the acquisition and disposal of land and the felling and restocking of forests.
“Key questions for the committee are: is this bill fit for purpose, how will it work in practice and what will the impact be on groups such as the forest industry, community groups and land owners?”
The bill has three stated policy aims:
The committee’s call for evidence closes on Wednesday 16 August 2017.On completion of its scrutiny of the bill at stage 1, the committee will share its findings with the Scottish government.
Responses should be sent, wherever possible, electronically and in MS Word format to: rec.committee@parliament.scot.
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