Why we must plant enough trees to cover 13,000 football pitches a year

SCOTLAND'S forestry sector must make drastic changes to combat the effects of climate change, the industry's leading organisation announced yesterday.

Creating new woodland to capture carbon, reducing the sector's own carbon footprint, and establishing a deforestation policy are just some of the recommendations laid out in a draft climate change action plan, compiled by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS).

The fledgling plan points out that carbon sequestration should form a key goal of the FCS in future years, something it believes could be achieved by increased planting.

Currently, only around 17 per cent of Scotland's land is forest, but the FCS is hoping to raise the proportion to 25 per cent by the second half of this century. That figure, announced two years ago, would involve the planting of around 38 square miles of new woodland every year, but there are doubts as to whether this is realistic.

The FCS admits this is an "aspirational" rather than a definitive target, and warns productive arable and improved grassland are profitable in agriculture, and therefore less likely to be made available for tree-planting.

But one example proposes the planting of four million trees surrounding Loch Katrine in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, which would cover around 8,000 acres alone.

Equally, the FCS plan aims to cut down on the number of "timber miles" – wood being transported by road – with rail and sea taking precedence. In January, the FCS began a voluntary survey of hauliers, and its findings will be published later this year.

Already, the Scottish Government is investing £15m over the next three years to upgrade transport links in order to re-route seven million tonnes of timber from communities and unsuitable public roads.

Michael Russell, the Scottish environment minister, who launched the plan yesterday, said Scottish forestry has a "fundamental role" to play in tackling climate change.

He said: "Forests have a key role to play in helping Scotland combat climate change, particularly as one of forestry's great strengths is its ability to deliver a uniquely wide range of social, economic and environmental objectives.

"Woodlands can simultaneously provide jobs, a sustainable supply of timber for renewable energy or environmentally friendly housing materials, havens for wildlife, places to play and exercise and beautiful landscapes. At the same time, they can help clean the air, protect water quality and soils, alleviate flooding, offer shade from the sun and lock up carbon."

The proposals for the two-year action plan will be sent to key stakeholders, such as the Woodland Trust.