Forestry in Scotland is a story of balance – between the economic benefits of commercial timber production and the critical need to protect biodiversity and the natural environment.  With forests covering nearly 19% of Scotland’s land area and plans to expand this further, it’s clear forestry is central to Scotland’s future.  However, we must find that balance –by adopting strategies that not only ensure future commercial timber production but also safeguard Scotland’s precious natural habitats and biodiversity. Scotland’s forestry sector is crucial to the rural economy, contributing over £1.1 billion annually and supporting more than 34,000 jobs. At the heart of this success is commercial timber production, which supplies essential materials for industries like construction, agriculture (predominantly fencing), logistics (pallets) and packaging.

A new Tree Planting Taskforce has been launched today to oversee the planting of millions of trees across the United Kingdom. The Taskforce, chaired by the forestry ministers from the four nations, brought together representatives from key arm’s-length bodies and delivery partners from across the UK. Top of the agenda at the meeting was how to drive forward the UK’s tree planting in order to meet our collective net zero targets, as part of the Government’s critical mission to make the UK a clean and green energy superpower.   The UK has less tree cover than almost anywhere in Europe and more work is needed to close this gap…he announcement today comes after a commitment in the Budget to provide up to £400 million in England across the next two years (2024/5 and 2025/6) for tree planting and peatland restoration.

Several states in Brazil are trying to rid themselves of rainforest protections, bowing to pressure from cattle ranchers and soybean growers to cut down trees and expand agriculture. Their efforts run counter to those of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who returned to power last year and has made significant strides in curbing Amazon deforestation. They also threaten Brazil’s commitment to halt deforestation by 2030. Loss of forest is the country’s largest source of carbon emissions… Brazil is the world’s fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, with almost 3% of global emissions, according to Climate Watch. Almost half of Brazil’s carbon emissions come from deforestation. The Amazon is a vital climate regulator, contains the most biodiverse forest in the world plus one-fifth of the world´s freshwater.

MEXICO CITY — Officials in Mexico said they’re considering allocating 1% of the military budget for a countrywide tree planting program, with the aim of restoring forests and combatting climate change. President Claudia Sheinbaum proposed dedicating $24 billion of the military’s annual budget to support six million tree planters in the reforestation of around 15 million hectares (37 million acres) across Mexico. The initiative isn’t official yet and doesn’t have a confirmed start date. …Sheinbaum is a former environmental scientist who co-authored the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report that won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. She took office in October. …Sheinbaum’s reforestation proposal comes at the same time that lawmakers prepare to slash environmental funding in other parts of Mexico’s government. …Reforestation is slow, and trees require long-term care, they said. In some parts of the world, around half of all reforested trees die within the first ten years of being planted.