SCOTLAND must expand productive conifer planting if it is to avoid a future fall in timber supplies, protect jobs and reduce reliance on imports, according to a new national strategy for the forest and wood-processing sector. Published by the Scottish Forest and Wood-based Industries Industry Leadership Group (ILG), the document sets out a vision for the sector to 2035 and places productive forestry at the centre of its growth ambitions. The strategy argues that Scotland has a major opportunity to increase the economic contribution of forestry and wood processing over the next 15 years as timber availability rises, but warns that the gains could be short-lived unless action is taken now. Guy Watt, chair of the Industry Leadership Group said: “The strategy covers all Scotland’s sources of wood fibre from Scotland’s forests, from imported wood fibre and from reusing and recycling wood fibre.”