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Controversial Scottish Government proposals to lease large tracts of Forestry Commission land to private investors came under fire during a radio debate broadcast on Friday 23 January.

Scotland’s Environment Minister Mike Russell defended the proposals and repeatedly pledged that changes would open up opportunities for communities, during recording of the popular BBC Radio Scotland show Riddoch Questions. The event was organised by the Community Woodlands Association (CWA) which represents more than 140 community groups across Scotland.

Presenter Lesley Riddoch hosted Monday’s debate at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.  A 60 strong, diverse audience of community woodland group members and private land managers quizzed panel members SNP Environment Minister, Michael Russell MSP; Labour Rural Affairs shadow Minister, Sarah Boyack MSP; Jon Hollingdale, chief executive of the Community Woodlands Association; Simon Milne, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Stuart Goodall, the  Confederation of Forest Industries’ chief executive.

The draft Climate Change Bill currently out for consultation contains proposals which could see up to a quarter of Forestry Commission land in Scotland being leased to a single private investment institution to raise money to help deliver government climate change targets.

Questioned about the impact that these widely criticised measures could have on community interests, the Minister pledged that any arrangements put in place would fully protect community interests, including access and recreation, and boost potential for communities to manage local assets.  

During the debate Mr Russell repeatedly stressed that the legislative changes would also open up opportunities for community groups to lease areas of the Forestry Commission estate where there was  a need for local development and renewable energy projects. 

Piers Voysey, chairman of the Community Woodlands Association said: “We certainly welcome the challenge laid down by the Minister to come up with some radical responses to climate change as we believe that local communities must be at the heart of actions to tackle this global challenge. We support proposals to allow Forestry Commission Scotland to enter into joint ventures and to lease land, where this will deliver additional public benefits.

“However, we are not convinced that leasing 25% of the national forest estate for 75 years to a single organisation is the best way to generate funds for woodland expansion, or to safeguard future opportunities for community development and environmental enhancement in Scotland’s forests.”

The CWA will be responding formally to the government consultation on the Climate Change Bill forestry measures, which is open for comment from forestry interests and the public until Tuesday 27 January.