Good practice guide welcomed by Scottish Woodlands
Scottish Woodlands Ltd has welcomed new forestry industry guidance on engaging effectively with local communities in areas where woodland creation schemes are planned.
Engagement with Local People and Communities: Good Practice Guidance for Woodland Creation Proposals has been developed by forestry and wood trade body Confor, working with its members - including Scottish Woodlands Ltd.
The purpose of the guidance is to “improve the process for local people, communities and people seeking to create new woodland” - and to ensure that engagement involves “respectful dialogue between everyone involved”.
Good community engagement, the document says, must be “effective, efficient and fair”.
Ian Robinson, Managing Director for Scottish Woodlands Ltd, said: “This is a very welcome publication for everyone concerned in any way with woodland creation.”
“It is a subject that Scottish Woodlands Ltd has always taken very seriously. All our employees have been encouraged to be industry leaders in this important aspect of engagement, because we create more new woodlands in Scotland than any other business.”
The guidance stresses that early and effective engagement with local communities is crucial and can reduce or remove challenges further down the line. It lists a series of top tips for the industry to follow:
- One size does not fit all – it’s about the right thing at the right time. Knowing what works takes time;
- Speaking to people in advance of an activity rather than after can identify issues before they arise;
- Style and tone are as important as what is said/done;
- Make yourself known and available to stakeholders/communities as this can help avoid problems escalating;
- Listening skills are essential. Often foresters want to solve problems and take action when just listening works;
- Take time to understand the problem. It may not be what you first think;
- Face-to-face always works better in difficult situations;
- As well as, or instead of, one-off public meetings, consider drop-in sessions;
- Visual aids (not just maps) and ‘active’ feedback sessions work well;
- Admit any mistakes, rectify and move on;
- Early engagement should lead to better relationships and outcomes.
Mr Robinson added: “There is a lot of very useful information here, which will form the basis of a wider forestry hub to answer frequently-asked questions about forestry. We’re pleased that the recent video made with Stuart Wilkie of Scottish Woodlands Ltd, discussing the competing demands of modern forestry, is among the resources for the wider hub. It’s crucial to look at forestry in the round and to consider timber, climate, biodiversity (and much more) as part of any discussion about new woodland creation.”
Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive of Confor, said: “The Scottish Government’s vision is to expand woodlands to cover 21% of Scotland’s land area by 2032 as a vitally important part of its commitment to achieve net zero by 2045. Ultimately, the aim of the guide is to improve the process for local people, communities and the people seeking to create new woodland, and to enable Scotland’s forestry and wood processing sector to make a vital contribution to tackling catastrophic climate change.”
Morag Paterson from Communities for Diverse Forestry, said: “This guide is the culmination of a lot of hard work by people who want to improve the process of engagement with local people and communities on new woodland creation projects. It’s because of their positive approach and willingness to openly discuss the issues around engaging people in new woodland creation projects that has enabled this important guide to be prepared.”