This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Woodland grant schemes revamped
21/06/2002
Woodland grant schemes are to be revised to give them a
greater Scottish focus and bring them closer into line with
modern thinking on integrated land use and community
involvement.
Following review by an external Steering Group,
Ministers have accepted proposals for replacing the
Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS) and
SEERAD's Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (FWPS).
Speaking at the presentation ceremony for the Scotland's
Finest Woodlands Awards at the Royal Highland Show today,
Environment and Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie
said:
"We are committed to supporting a sustainable and
diverse rural economy. Integration of forestry support with
other Scottish land use policy is an important part of
that.
"At present these grant schemes operate on a GB-wide
basis but following the publication of our Scottish
Forestry and Agriculture Strategies the opportunity was
taken to look at the schemes and to come up with a forestry
and woodland support system more appropriate to Scotland.
The changes we are making should help to do that."
The changes to the schemes proposed by the Steering
Group focus on the following key areas:
- Closer links with Executive policy priorities
including integrated land use and community
involvement
- Greater focus on management of existing
woodland
- Assisting with deer management
- Reviewing FWPS rates and area limits
To distinguish the new Scottish schemes they will be
renamed. WGS will become the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme
(SFGS). FWPS will become the Scottish Forestry Grant
Scheme: Farmland Premium (SFGS: FP).
The SFGS will provide grants under the following main
headings, Stewardship, Woodland Expansion, Restocking
Grants and Targeted Grants. The SFGS: FP will remain very
much as the FWPS with the main change being a simplified
payment rate structure.
It is hoped to have the new schemes in place by Spring
next year.
Details of the new SFGS grants are as follows:
Stewardship
These grants will be available for: - improving timber
quality, reducing deer numbers, native woodlands, improving
woodland biodiversity, landscape improvement, alternative
systems to clear fell woodland recreation and community
involvement.
Woodland expansion
Grants for woodland expansion would cover both planting
and natural regeneration.
Restocking grants
Restocking grants will be set at a level of 75 per cent
of new planting grants (an increase on the current 50 per
cent).
Targeted Grants
These grants will supplement others to deliver specific
priorities in specific areas or objectives of strategic
policy documents.
The Review Steering Group was charged under the
following remit:
"To put forward recommendations for changes to the WGS
and FWPS in Scotland so as to improve their effectiveness
in delivering priorities identified in the Scottish
Forestry Strategy, as well as the developing Agriculture
Strategy and the Rural Development regulation, given
current levels of funding."
Both schemes operate under the European Commission's
Rural Development Regulation 1257/99 and an amendment to
the Rural Development Plan for Scotland will be sent to
Brussels shortly.