Concern about the economy proved a main talking point at a recent meeting of Scottish timber processors and foresters.
The annual liaison meeting of the UK Forest Products Association Scottish Regional Group and ConFor’s Processors Group with Forest Enterprise Scotland personnel provided an opportunity for the industry to report on market conditions.
The consensus was that conditions continue to worsen.
Rod Gordon, UKFPA north Scotland regional chairman, described “unprecedented pressure” on businesses in the wood supply chain, with factors affecting the fortunes of the industry completely outside its control.
Other topics discussed included the loss of productive forest land from wind farm developments. The forest industry continues to call for compensatory planting.
As part of the meeting, a visit took place to Craigvinean Forest to see the implementation of forest design plans and differing silvicultural systems, including continuous cover forestry.
