AN AREA of new native forest the size of Inverness has been planted in Scotland over the past eight years, The Scotsman can reveal.
The equivalent of 1,149 trees have been put in the ground every day, with huge numbers of native species including oak, ash, juniper and silver birch added to Scotland's landscape.
This brings the total to more than 3.3 million trees, according to
annual statistics released by the Scottish Forest Alliance.
The Alliance is aiming to create 10,000 hectares of new native forest by 2010.
The trees have been planted in 14 sites including areas in Galloway, Falkirk, Loch Katrine, Loch Lomond and Loch Ness, in the Ochil and Trossach hills, and Strathspey and Huntly in the North-east.
The aim is to help regenerate fragmented native woodlands to enable plants and animals to thrive, while encouraging Scots and tourists to enjoy the outdoors.
Jacqui Morris from Woodland Trust Scotland said there are small amounts of forest in Scotland compared to many other European countries, with just 17.5 per cent of the land covered by trees.
She added: "It's not just about creating more woodland, we want to get more people to enjoy them as well. We want to get people out and about walking in the woodland."
Since the start of the project about 50 miles of new paths have been created – approximately the distance between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Ms Morris said another benefit is that woodland helps to soak up damaging carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere, helping to tackle climate change.
Andrew Fairbairn, development manager at the Woodland Trust Scotland, agreed there have been many benefits from planting new forests.
"We have enabled hundreds of thousands of people each year to enjoy the outdoors by improving public access to some of our most important and beautiful woodland areas," he said.
"This in turn has a positive spin-off for biodiversity and wildlife, as well as tourism and local communities."
Despite the success of the project, the challenge is still enormous, with just over 3,000 hectares out of 10,000 hectares planted so far.
However, Ms Morris said even though it is becoming more challenging to find land to plant new woodland, she thinks they are on track to meet the target.
It is expected over the full ten years more than eight million native trees will be planted, or 1.6 for every person in Scotland – an area larger than Loch Lomond.
Ms Morris does not think there is a clash between the aim of planting more trees and leaving enough land for agriculture and food.
"Most people have been very supportive of what we are doing," she said.
The project, by an alliance of the Forestry Commission Scotland, the Woodland Trust Scotland and RSPB Scotland, has been funded with £10 million from BP, which has been matched by contributions from charities and governments.
Tim Smith, External Affairs Director for BP in Scotland, said: "I am delighted to see that this unique approach is having such a direct and positive impact on Scotland's economy, our quality of life and our environment."
