Forestry and woodlands

Connecting people and nature.

Led by NatureScot, the programme aims to give people the opportunity to help tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss by creating and caring for their own forest in their own neighbourhood.

Projects awarded funding in most recent round of Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund.

The chosen projects have a specific focus on resource efficiency, cutting emissions, environmental performance and sustainability of agricultural holdings, and are supported by just over £170,000 of funding through the KTIF.

Christmas has come early for a community’s bid to double the size of a vast new nature reserve in Dumfries and Galloway, thanks to an anonymous private donation of half a million pounds and public crowdfunder donations surging past £50,000.

Forestry and Land Scotland has launched a consultation on its draft Gaelic Language Plan 2022 – 2027.

Last week the Scottish Government announced details of its budget programme for 2022-23 which underlines their commitment to rural and island communities and businesses.

A major report has been commissioned to understand more about the nature and value of rural land sales in Scotland.

A move that will be crucial in considering the implications of new natural capital and carbon value in the land market.

Scotland’s budget underlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to rural and island communities and businesses.

The 2022-23 budget will see more than £650 million in ongoing support across the rural economy in agriculture, fishing, and seafood.

Scotland’s Budget will deliver record levels of investment in tackling the climate emergency – helping to protect and restore the natural environment, and slash emissions from homes, industries and transport.

The 2022-23 budget provides more than £2 billion for measures that will accelerate a just transition to  a Scotland which leads the way in ending climate change.

That includes:

Spearheaded by the Mull and Iona Community Trust, ambitious plans are underway to transform Ardura's dark conifer plantations into a vibrant community woodland, that will benefit nature, climate and local communities.

In the first round of funding awards, announced by NatureScot today, a total of £5m will be shared between 54 projects from all over Scotland to restore nature, safeguard wildl