Forestry & Woodland Strategy - Clackmannanshire · Forestry Strategy (SFS) (2006), the Scottish...

STIRLING & CLACKMANNANSHIRE

Forestry & Woodland Strategy

Supplementary Guidance

August 2014

STIRLING & CLACKMANNANSHIREForest and Woodland StrategySupplementary Guidance

Published August 2014 (Stirling Council)

Desig

n by C J Pipe

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Stirling Council Economy, Planning and Regulation, Municipal Buildings, 8-10 Corn Exchange Road FK8 2HUwww. stirling.gov.uk

Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa, Clackmannanshire FK10 1EBwww.clacksweb.org.uk

Hillhouseridge, Shottskirk Road, Shotts, North Lanarkshire ML7 4JSwww.csgnt.org.uk

Further Information

Stirling & Clackmannanshire Forestry & Woodland Strategy

Contents


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1 Introducing the Strategy ………………………….....…............ 1

2 The Context for Forestry & Woodland …………….................... 22.1 National Policy Context ……………………………….…........................ 22.2 National Regulation & Control ……………………..………................… 32.3 Local Policy Context ……………………………………………...............… 32.4 Scotland’s Forest and Woodland Resource …………………….....….…42.5 Forestry & Woodlands in Stirling & Clackmannanshire ..........…..… 42.6 Other Considerations ………………………………………...................….5

3 Vision & Objectives ………………………………..................…. 93.1 Vision ………………………………………………………….....................… 93.2 Strategy Themes & Policy Objectives ………………………................ 9

4 Opportunities For Woodland Expansion……….....................104.1 Overarching Principle ……………………………….………..................... 104.2 Sensitive, potential and preferred locations…………...….............… 104.3 Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) and Geological

Conservation Review (GCR) Sites ………………………....................... 124.4 Woodland Types.…………………………………...……..…...................… 12

List of Maps, Tables & Figures

Maps 1 Location........................................................................................ 12 Scotland Woodland Cover..............................................................43 Current Woodland Cover in Strategy Area..................................... 44 Natural Heritage Designations...................................................... 75 Historic Environment Designations............................................... 86 Potential for Woodland Expansion................................................. 117 Opportunities for New Native Woodland....................................... 138 Opportuntities for Mixed Woodland.............................................. 13

Figures 1 Key Woodland Types in the Strategy Area......................................42 Woodland Ownership in the Strategy Area.................................... 6

Tables 1 Forestry in the Strategy Area......................................................... 42 Woodland Expansion Sensitivities................................................. 123 Examples of Woodland Expansion in Potential & Sensitive Areas... 124 Right Tree in the Right Place Types................................................ 135 Opportunties for Woodland Expansion.......................................... 14

List of Appendices ..............................................................................15Appendices referred to in this document have not been included in the published version of the Strategy, but can be viewed online 0n both Stirling and Clackmannanshire Council’s websites.

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THE TREES, WOODLANDS AND FORESTS of Stirling &Clackmannanshire contribute greatly to the quality of

the landscape, environment, biodiversity, cultural heritageand the local economy. They also incorporate, or provide abackdrop to, popular recreation and tourism destinationssuch as Gartmorn Dam Country Park & Nature Reserve, theCarron Valley Forest and Reservoir, the Ochil HillsWoodland Park, Balquhidderock Wood and Mugdock andPlean Country Parks.

Given these inherent qualities it is essential to ensure thatany future proposals for developing and expanding Stirlingand Clackmannanshire’s woodlands and forests integrate,in a complementary and balanced way, with other landuses.

The Stirling & Clackmannanshire Forestry and WoodlandStrategy (SCFWS) sets out the Councils’ vision, strategyand objectives for the future of woodlands and forestry. Itis based around a 40-year vision to 2052, with options for 5yearly reviews in line with Local Development Plantimescales. Map 1 shows the area covered by the Strategy,and its relationship to the Central Scotland Green Networkand the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (coveredby a separate National Park Partnership Plan 2012 – 2017).

The Strategy has been developed by Stirling andClackmannanshire Councils, in partnership with ForestryCommission Scotland and the Central Scotland ForestTrust, and with advice and guidance from a Steering Groupcomprising a range of other key players including ScottishNatural Heritage and the Community WoodlandsAssociation.

A consultant team comprising RDI Associates Ltd, C J Piper& Co, Chartered Foresters and Land Use Consultants wasengaged to develop the strategy and provide professionalforestry, GIS and facilitation support. There has been wideranging public consultation that has helped inform thefinal version of the document. Consultation responses aresummarised in Appendix I.

The Strategy has also been the subject of a StrategicEnvironmental Assessment (SEA), which assessedsignificant environmental effects, and a HabitatsRegulations Appraisal (HRA), which assessed the likelihoodof significant effects on ‘European’ sites, that is SpecialAreas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas.

The SCFWS forms a link between forestry and woodlandactivities and other Scottish Government initiatives aimingto enhance the wide range of economic, environmentaland social benefits derived from woodlands and forests. Italso provides a strategic framework for the developmentand expansion of a variety of forest and woodland typesacross Stirling and Clackmannanshire.

At the broadest strategic level, the purpose of the SCFWSis to provide a local expression of how the national visionand priorities for the protection and expansion ofScotland’s forest and woodland resource as set out in theScottish Forestry Strategy (SFS) will be achieved.

1 Introducing the Strategy

DefinitionsThe Strategy uses the following definitions adopted in theScottish Forestry Strategy:

Forestry - the practice of all aspects of tree management,including forest and woodland management, arboriculture, urbanforestry and environmental forestry and research, education andtraining in these fields.

Forest - usually applied to a large area of woodland of variedages and tree species.

Wood or woodland – more often describes a smaller area oftrees.

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“The trees, woodlands andforests of Stirling & Clackmannanshire contribute greatly to thequality of the landscape,environment, biodiversity,cultural heritage and thelocal economy.”

Map 1 Strategy Location

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2.1 National Policy ContextNational policy is set by the ScottishForestry Strategy (SFS) (2006), theScottish Government’s framework forforestry up until 2050 and beyond.

It has the following seven themes:-

The following documents are alsorelevant:-

The Scottish Government’s Rationalefor Woodland Expansion (FCS 2009)Climate Change Action Plan 2009-11(FCS 2009)The Scottish Government’s Policy onControl of Woodland Removal (FCS2009)Any recommendations in this strategy forforest management, forest operationsand woodland creation also fall within thescope of existing Best Practices andGuidance, in particular the UK ForestryStandard and its associated Guidelines,and The Right Tree in the Right Place.

The following Scottish Governmentplanning policy documents are alsorelevant:

National Planning Framework (NPF)Reiterates the objectives of the SFS andthe need to plan for the expansion ofwoodland cover. NPF confirms the needto protect existing woodland and removal

should only be permitted where there aresignificant and clearly defined publicbenefits. NPF also promotes greennetworks and habitat networks. Theconsequential increase in woodland coverwill improve landscape quality,biodiversity and amenity and help toabsorb CO2.

The Central Scotland Green NetworkTrust (CSGNT) is a ‘NationalDevelopment’ in the NPF. It aims torestore and improve the rural and urbanlandscapes of Central Scotland under thefollowing five themes:

The SCFWS has been developed with aspecific aim of contributing to thecomplementary aims of the SFS andCSGNT.

Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) drawsattention to the high biodiversity value ofwoodlands, trees and hedgerows. Ancientand semi-natural woodland should beprotected and enhanced. Developmentimpacts on habitat connectivity should beameliorated through mitigationmeasures. Woodland removal should onlybe allowed where it will achieve publicbenefit. Planning authorities shouldconsider preparing woodland strategiesas supplementary guidance.

The Context for Forestry &Woodland

Scottish Forestry Strategy Themes

1 Helping Scotland mitigate and adapt to climate change.

2 Getting the most from Scotland’s timber resource.

3 Supporting sustainable economic growth through thebusiness development of the Scottish woodland sector.

4 Supporting community development to improve quality of life and wellbeing.

5 Improving access to woodlands, to help improve the health of Scotland.

6 Protecting the environmental quality of our natural resources.

7 Helping to conserve and enhance Scotland’s biodiversity.

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A Place for Growth - Creating an environment for sustainable economic growth.

A Place in Balance - Creating an environment more in balance to thrive in a changing climate.

A Place to Feel Good - Creating an environment which supports healthy lifestyles and well being.

A Place for Nature - Creating an environment where nature can flourish.

A Place to Belong - Creating an environment that people can enjoy and where they live.

2.2 National Regulation & ControlForestry Commission Scotland (FCS)manages the national forest estate and isalso the Scottish Government’sregulatory body for forestry. FCSassesses potential forest projects fortheir environmental impact, approvesand monitors publicly funded woodlandproposals and ensures compliance withlocal and national policies and bestpractice guidelines. FCS also maintains aRegister of New Planting and Felling,Register of Environmental ImpactAssessments and Registers of WoodlandCreation which provide information onkey forest proposals.

Forestry activities such as planting andfelling are not normally subject toplanning controls. Local authorities are,however, consulted by FCS on a range ofplanting and felling proposals and longerterm forest plans and therefore caninfluence where future woodlandexpansion should occur and thedevelopment of the forest industrywithin their areas.

Where appropriate the SCFWS willinform the responses from Stirling andClackmannanshire Councils to suchconsultations.

2.3 Local Policy ContextAt the local level the SCFWS is informedby the existing plans and strategies ofStirling and Clackmannanshire Councils.Account has also been taken of views andcomments of local residents,communities and other stakeholderssubmitted in response to the publicconsultation.

The SCFWS links with the Councils’Single Outcome Agreements and LocalDevelopment Plans, together with arange of other policy and strategydocuments connected to the themes ofthe SFS. These include:

For Clackmannanshire Council:

Community Plan ‘Working Together forClackmannanshire’ (2010) - provides theoverall framework in which communityplanning operates and provides a basisfor the Single Outcome Agreement.

Local Development Plan (LDP) -published in 2013 for public consultation.The SCFWS will form SupplementaryPlanning Guidance in association withthe adopted LDP.

Biodiversity Action Plan 2012-2017 -Supports the Council's Sustainabilityand Climate Change Strategy (2010).

Economic Development Framework2008-2018 - provides a focus foreconomic development in the area and aset of priorities to helpClackmannanshire realise its economicambitions for 2008 - 2018.

Open Space Strategy (being finalised) -supports increased woodland cover insupport of CSGN and SFS. This will helpto mitigate climate change through thecapture, storage and retention of carbonby woodland expansion and promotionof active travel.

Greening Clackmannanshire (2010) -provides a framework for action on thelocal environment and for taking forwardthe environment theme of theClackmannanshire Alliance. It aims toenlist everyone’s help to care for thephysical environment, address climatechange impacts and enhancecommunication and access.

For Stirling Council:

Community Plan (2005-2020) - sets outthe local Community PlanningPartnership’s vision and plan for thefuture prosperity for Stirling.

Local Development Plan . The SCFWSwill form Supplementary Guidance inassociation with the adopted LDP.

Countryside Access and RecreationStrategy 1999 (and Review 1997-2005)- this seeks to guide the development,management and promotion ofcountryside access opportunities.

Open for Business - Stirling EconomicStrategy 2009-13 - this includes a visionand action plan based on the principles ofsustainable growth and economicopportunity.

SG02: Green Network – this formssupplementary guidance to the StirlingLocal Development Plan. It explains theconcept and functions of the GreenNetwork and introduces the Open SpaceStrategy and its relationship to the LocalDevelopment Plan, including DeveloperContributions relative to GreenInfrastructure.

Additional policy documents are listed inAppendix II.


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2.4 Scotland’s Forest and WoodlandResource

Scotland’s trees, woodlands and forestsmake a vital contribution to the nation’seconomic, environmental and social well-being.

Over 55% of Britain’s trees are inScotland where the total area ofwoodland and forest is currently 1.38million hectares - equivalent to 17.8% ofScotland’s total land area. Thoughwoodland cover has increasedsignificantly in the past 50-60 years,nonetheless it still compares relativelyunfavourably with the European averageof 37%. Of Scotland’s woodland area,approximately 70% is currentlyconiferous woodland producing softwoodtimber and 14% broadleaved woodlandproducing hardwood timber. 4% is mixedwoodland and the balance is open spacewithin woodland. The main coniferspecies are Sitka spruce, Scots pine andLodgepole pine, while the mainbroadleaved species are birch and oak.

Over 70% of Scotland’s forests wereplanted during the second half of the20th Century. Since the 1990s there hasthough been a significant shift in the typeand location of new planting. Prior to1990 new forests were mainly planted onland with reduced capability foragriculture.

More recently planting on better land isnow encouraged. At the same timespecies diversity is much greater andincludes a higher proportions ofbroadleaves.

Native Scots pine and broadleaves havealso been planted to re-create nativewoodlands lost in earlier times. A greaterproportion of new planting is taking placeon land that is privately owned, or ownedby voluntary organisations, charities orcommunity groups.

2.5 Forestry & Woodlands inStirling & Clackmannanshire

Woodland Cover and TypeStirling & Clackmannanshire’s overallwoodland and forest cover currentlyextends to some 21,350 hectares or 17%of total land area - see Map 2 and Table 1 ,comparing favourably with Scotland’s17% woodland cover.

Included within the overall woodlandcover of Stirling and Clackmannanshire,some 8,800 hectares (45%) is classified asancient and semi-natural woodland(including native woodland, nearly native

woodland and Plantation on AncientWoodland Sites (PAWS)).

The proportions of the key types ofwoodland that make up the 21,350hectares are illustrated in Figure 2 below.

Woodland in Clackmannanshire can bedivided into two main categories:-

Small areas of woodland on the edge of settlements whose main purpose is to provide an open space resource for the local community, such as Gean Park - Alloa, Back Wood -Clackmannan and Delph Wood -Tullibody;

Larger areas of woodland /traditional woodland estates in more rural parts of Clackmannanshire such as the area around Gartmorn Dam -Sauchie and Harviestoun Estate - Tillicoultry.

The woodland area totals some 2,170hectares, accounting for 13% of the totalland area, slightly smaller than theScottish average. Conifer plantations ofpine, mixed spruce and larch account for35% of the total wooded area with thebalance comprising a range of mixedbroadleaved woodland, of which 38hectares are recorded as ancientwoodland - that is, areas with continuouswoodland cover since AD 1750.


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“Scotland’s trees,woodlands andforests make a vitalcontribution to thenation’s economic,environmental andsocial well-being.”

Table 1 Forestry & Woodland within the Strategy Area

Figure 1 Key Woodland Types

Map 2 Scotland Woodland Cover(Forestry Commission Scotland National Forest Inventory)


Map 3 Current Woodland Cover in Strategy AreaSeveral woodlands in Clackmannanshireare designated as Sites of SpecialScientific Interest (SSSI) including BackBurn Wood, Damhead Wood and LinnMill.Stirling has a woodland cover of 19,180hectares, accounting for just under 18%of the total land area. This woodlandsupports a wide range of tree species andcontains a mosaic of different forest andwoodlands types including large-scaleconifer plantations (e.g. Carron ValleyForest, Lennieston Muir and Braes ofDoune), mixed traditional estatewoodlands (e.g. Cromlix andBlairdrummond), small-scale mixedlowland farm woodlands, ancientwoodland / long established plantationorigin sites (e.g. Abbey Craig andCambusbarron) and urban woods.

As in Clackmannanshire, severalwoodlands are designated as SSSIs,including Abbey Craig, BalquidderockWood, Glen Lochay Woods, KippenraitGlen and Wester Moss.

2.6 Other ConsiderationsThe Forest and Timber IndustryThe forest and timber industry is one ofScotland’s hidden assets, contributingdirectly and indirectly to the economy. Itspans the complete lifecycle of wood -the growing of tree seedlings; theplanting, managing and harvesting offorests; manufacturing activities such assawmilling, pulp and paper production,panel and board manufacturing and thedevelopment and production of highervalue goods such as engineered woodproducts. In addition, forest andprocessing co-products such as woodchips and pellets can be used inrenewable energy production. InScotland 90% of renewable heatgeneration comes from wood energy. Inthe European Union wood energy is thelargest (66%) renewable energy sector.Local examples include Norbord’s MDFand particleboard manufacturing facilityat Cowie and the installation of abiomass boiler at the Viewforthheadquarters of Stirling Council.

The past decade has seen considerablegrowth in the economic impact of forestand timber industries. It currently has aGross Value Added (GVA) of some£1.67billion, 1.8% of the total Scottisheconomy, and accounts for 38,500 directand ‘downstream’ jobs.

The current harvested volume ofsoftwood in Scotland is between 6-7million cubic metres per annum; forecastto increase to circa 8.5 million cubicmetres in 2016, representing 60 % of theUK’s total softwood timber production.

Multiple BenefitsForests and woodlands, by their verynature, provide multiple benefits. Theycreate places for recreation, promotehealth through cleaner air and providehabitats where biodiversity can flourish.Perhaps most importantly forests absorbcarbon generated by other parts of theeconomy and so provide an increasinglyimportant way of mitigating climatechange. Recent research demonstratesthat as much as 10% of all carbonemissions in the UK could be absorbedthrough an expanded forest industrybased on more wooded and forestedareas.

Figure 3 illustrates the distribution ofwoodland ownership within Stirling andClackmannanshire. Privately ownedwoodlands – almost 80% - predominate,with the balance - 19% and 3%respectively - owned and managed byForestry Commission Scotland andStirling / Clackmannanshire Councils. Aselsewhere in Scotland the pattern ofprivate ownership is highly fragmented,though also includes a number of large-scale private commercial plantations inthe more upland areas of Stirling andtowards the eastern part ofClackmannanshire.

Landscape TypesThere is a wide range of landscape typesin Stirling and Clackmannanshire, fromrelatively flat lowland river valleys tomountains and highland lochs; in whichforests and woodlands are intrinsicelements. Land uses are also various anddiverse, from urban/industrial to remoteupland moors. Details of the landscapecharacters found within the Strategy areacan be found in Appendix V Map A1.These are derived from LandscapeCharacter Assessments (LCAs), astandard system for identifying,describing and mapping landscapevariation. LCAs provide baselineinformation to guide landscape changes,which can then be used in developmentplans, decisions of developmentproposals, land management plans,forest and woodland strategies and agri-environmental schemes. Generalinformation on LCAs, together with moredetailed landscape assessment reportsguidance are held by Scottish NaturalHeritage and can be viewed via the link http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/looking-after-landscapes/lca/

The thirteen landscape character typesfound within Stirling andClackmannanshire have been used in theSCFWS to identify links between eachlandscape character and potentialwoodland types, along with the sevenkey themes of the SFS. These links arehighlighted in Table 5 (see Page 14) andhelp show where to best targetappropriate woodland expansion acrossStirling & Clackmannanshire.

Timber ProductionForests and woodlands in easternScotland – including Stirling andClackmannanshire – currently containapproximately 10% of Scotland’s total

standing conifer timber stock, some 212million cubic metres.

Timber harvesting within the Strategyarea is set to increase over the next 5years due to the legacy of past plantingregimes, with an increasing proportionemanating from private sectorwoodlands. Though timber prices,especially those for fuel and firewood,have recovered significantly from recentpast lows, mainly due to increaseddemand for biomass, prices arenonetheless subject to the influences ofthe global market place, and cannottherefore be predicted with confidenceover the period of the SCFWS. At 2012levels, however, developing markets offerreal opportunities of income from lowquality timber in previously unprofitableor otherwise undermanaged smallerwoodlands.

CertificationIn the 1990s schemes such as the ForestStewardship Council (FSC) and theProgramme for the Endorsement ofForest Certification Schemes (PEFC),were established to provide assurance tobusiness and consumers that forestproducts were sourced from wellmanaged forests. An estimated 8% ofworld and 45% of UK forests are nowcertified.

In the UK, PEFC and FSC both use the UKWoodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS)(www.ukwas.org.uk) as the basis forowners to have woodlands independentlycertified as being sustainably managed.At the national level forest certification isan important mechanism for deliveringnational policy objectives for achievingsustainable forest management. As at2009 approximately 87% of the 8 milliontonnes of softwood roundwoodharvested in the UK was certified.

At the regional level, the level of uptakeof certification can also be used as anindicator of the environmental, social andeconomic credentials of the timberresource. The decision to apply forcertification is, though, entirely voluntaryand the inspection/audit process isfunded by the owner or manager.

As all Forestry Commission woodlands inGreat Britain are certified against theUKWAS, by definition 19% of thewoodland cover in Stirling andClackmannanshire is certified. Thepicture is less clear within the privatesector.

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Figure 2 Woodland Ownership


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Map 4 Natural Heritage Designations

Whilst many larger scale traditionalestates and commercial plantations arecertified, the level of uptake ofcertification elsewhere within privatelyowned woodlands remains relatively low,reflecting the prevalence of fragmented,small scale woodlands within Stirling andClackmannanshire where costs ofcertification can be disproportionate tothe benefits.

Timber Transport The Stirling & Tayside Timber TransportGroup was established in 1996 to ensuregood liaison between the forest sectorand local roads authorities, withparticular regard given to timber haulageon more rural roads. A key considerationis the identification of agreed routes fortimber haulage, as required. Furtherdetails can be found on the TimberTransport Forum website atwww.timbertransportforum.org.uk

BiodiversityThe Strategy area contains impressivehigh quality wildlife habitats andbiodiversity.

Stirling hosts some of the largest andmost important lowland raised boghabitats in the UK (e.g. Flanders Mosses),upland habitats and botanical resourcesnorth and west of Killin, and significantareas of ancient and semi-naturalwoodland. It is also holds a key positionin Central Scotland in terms of habitatnetworks. The Stirling Biodiversity ActionPlan (2005) identifies a list of priorityspecies and habitats, including juniperand lowland broadleaved woodlands.The Stirling Biodiversity Partnership iscurrently updating the Local BiodiversityAction Plan, with a view to progressivelyhalting the decline and loss ofbiodiversity across Stirling. In addition toSPAs, SACs and SSSIs there are alsoBalquidderock Wood Local NatureReserve and Mugdock and Plean CountryParks. Stirling Council is also seeking todesignate a range of Local NatureConservation Sites.

Clackmannanshire contains examples ofall major habitat types; from the OchilHills uplands, estuarine habitats alongthe River Forth and all that lies betweenincluding woodlands, freshwaters,wetlands and lowlands. TheClackmannanshire Biodiversity ActionPlan identifies several woodlandhabitats, including Lowland MixedDeciduous Woodland, Upland MixedAshwood, Upland Oakwood, Wet

Woodland and Wood Pasture, all UKpriority habitats. Large parts of the Firthof Forth are internationally designated asa RAMSAR site and Special ProtectionArea (SPA), on account of overwinteringbird populations. There are nine Sites ofSpecial Scientific Interest (SSSI), theGartmorn Dam Local Nature Reserve andCountry Park and twenty one LocalNature Conservation Sites, includewoodlands such as Blackmuir Wood,Braehead Woodlands, Brandyhill Wood,Cowpark Wood, Pond Wood, Red CarrWood, Devon Gorge Woodlands, SilverGlen and Woodland Park, Twenty-fiveAcre Wood and Auchlinksy Burn andWood

A combination of agricultural, industrialand urban pressures has, however,degraded and/or fragmented manyhabitats within Clackmannanshire.

Quality of LifeForests and woodlands can enhance thegeneral wellbeing of residents, localcommunities and visitors, for example byfacilitating outdoor recreation in high-quality landscapes, and providing localrecreational opportunities to nearbytowns and villages. In recent years bothCouncils have accessed funding fromForestry Commission Scotland’s‘Woodlands In and Around Towns’ (WIAT)Challenge Fund to make improvementsto woodlands around settlements.

Many elements of Stirling andClackmannanshire’s rich cultural heritageare found in and around woodlands, anadded ‘draw’ that enhances the visitorexperience and can also act as a focus forenvironmental interpretation andeducation.

Map 5 below illustrates the range ofHistoric Environment designations in theStrategy area.

Community WoodlandIn the broadest sense communitywoodlands are those that, whilst notnecessarily directly owned by thecommunity, are used - and in somesituations involve activity by - the localcommunity in conjunction with thewoodland owner, on a formal or informalbasis. Examples include woodlandsowned and managed by the LocalAuthority, Forestry Commission Scotlandor charitable bodies such as theWoodland Trust. They can also be partlyor wholly owned and/or managed by alocal - usually formally constituted -community woodland group. Thewoodland may be owned or leased by thegroup, or managed in partnership withanother organisation such as FCS.

Since the late 1980s, over 200 groupsacross Scotland have become involved in,or responsible for, the management ofthousands of hectares of woodland andopen space.

New groups continue to form,encouraged by the ScottishGovernment’s Land Reform legislationand the National Forest Land Scheme(www.forestry.gov.uk/nfls).

Community woodlands are extremelydiverse, embracing all woodland typesfrom ancient semi-natural woods toextensive conifer plantations, andranging from less than a hectare to over athousand hectares in size. Likewise, thecommunities involved range fromcrofting townships in the far north andwest to small towns and inner-citycommunities in the central Scotland.

Some of the larger groups now employstaff to manage and develop their woods,while others are managed entirely byvolunteers. Whilst aims and objectivesvary, with account taken of local needsand aspirations and the type and scale ofthe woodland managed, all groups areworking towards sustainable, flourishing,creative, resilient and vibrant communitywoodlands that deliver an impressiverange of public benefits, such as localrecreation, nature conservation,economic development, renewableenergy and social inclusion.

In Stirling and Clackmannanshire thereare now several established or emerginggroups involved in managing, orexploring the possibility of managing,local woodlands on behalf of theircommunity, such as Menstrie CommunityWoodlands, the Bridge of AllanCommunity Council and the Friends ofPlean Country Park.

For more information on communitywoodlands, seewww.communitywoods.org

Natural Flood Risk ManagementRestoration and enhancement of naturalfeatures and characteristics of alandscape can play a role in managing thesources and pathways of floodwaters.Woodland planting can provide anopportunity to manage downstreamflood risk via land use change in uplandareas, for example through acombinaition of reduced stockingdensities, blocking of drains and creationof upland woodlands.

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Map 5 Historic Environment Designations


Vision & Objectives

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33.1 VisionThrough their expansion, protection andsustainable management, the forests andwoodlands of Stirling andClackmannanshire will provide a range ofbenefits for local people and visitors andcontribute to economic, environmentaland social well being.

Through partnership working andintegrated planning, implementation andmonitoring, new jobs will be created,opportunities provided for active andpassive outdoor recreation, habitatsenhanced for wildlife and attractive

landscapes protected, so that local peoplecan live and work and visitors enjoy thearea's natural and cultural heritage.

3.2 Strategy Themes & PolicyObjectives

The main strategic themes, policyobjectives and outcomes that are thebasis for the SCFWS and how theysupport the development, expansion andmanagement of forestry and woodlandsacross the area are provided in AppendixIV (Strategic Themes, Objectives andOutcomes).

“Through their expansion, protection andsustainable management, the forests and

woodlands of Stirling and Clackmannanshirewill provide a range of benefits for local

people and visitors and contribute toeconomic, environmental and

social well-being ”

“...w0odlandexpansion shouldbe moreintegrated, morediverse, moreinclusive, moreproductive, moreresilient and morepositive; thuscontributing to thedelivery of multipleeconomic, socialand environmentalbenefits.”

4.1 Overarching Principle The overarching principle of the SCFWSis that woodland expansion should belooked upon favourably in Stirling andClackmannanshire, but subject toappropriate scale, type, objective andoverriding constraints. Furthermore it isan aspiration of the SCFWS thatwoodland expansion should be moreintegrated, more diverse, more inclusive,more productive, more resilient andmore positive; thus contributing to thedelivery of multiple economic, social andenvironmental benefits.

4.2 Sensitive, Potential andPreferred LocationsIn order to achieve this, the Strategy hasclassified land under three broadcategories for woodland expansion –‘sensitive’, ‘potential’ and ‘preferred’.This follows recommendations in TheRight Tree in the Right Place: Planningfor Forestry and Woodlands (RTRP)which sets out the broad criteria Forestryand Woodland Strategies should follow.It states that “.... woodland strategiesshould divide land into categories,including the suitability of differentlocations for new woodland planting.” Itwill be for planning authorities todetermine the detailed list of localsensitivities that will inform thecategorisation of land, but it is expectedthis will include priority species andhabitats, landscape, the cultural andhistorical environment, and interactionswith the water environment and soils.

In seeking to encourage such woodlandexpansion in Stirling & Clackmannanshirehowever, the SCFWS recognises thatboth woodland expansion and associatedforest management operations have thecapacity to generate both positive andnegative environmental impacts. In ordertherefore to ensure that any woodlandand forestry expansion and forestmanagement operations protectinternationally, nationally and, whereappropriate, locally important habitats,

species, landscapes and other heritageassets, all relevant regulatory, approval,assessment and monitoring processesshould be promoted and implemented.

Furthermore, it should be noted that theclassification of “preferred” or“potential” does not automatically meanthat any proposal would proceed. Wherewoodland creation / expansion isrecommended, this would need to followcurrent regulatory, approval, assessmentand monitoring processes and industryrecognised good practice to ensurecompliance with the UK ForestryStandard and associated Guidelines(including the consideration of localsensitivities) and be approved by therelevant regulatory bodies. Details ofsuch processes are included in Appendix III.

The SCFWS also recognises that the levelof woodland creation in Stirling &Clackmannanshire should be subject toreview every five to ten years, as tooshould the overall aims and objectives ofthe Scottish Forestry Strategy. Inaddition, any individual woodlandcreation proposal, regardless of its size,should be assessed on its ability todeliver the strategic priorities highlightedin the Scottish Forestry Strategy andidentified specifically in the Stirling &Clackmannanshire Forestry andWoodland Strategy.

The RTRP Categories:

Preferred - land which offers thegreatest scope to accommodate futureexpansion of a range of woodland types,and hence deliver on a very wide range ofobjectives. Within preferred areassensitivities are, in general, likely to belimited, and it should be possible toaddress any particular site specific issueswithin well designed proposals that meetthe UK Forestry Standard and associatedguidelines. Future woodland expansion istherefore likely to be focused onpreferred areas.


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Opportunities forWoodland Expansion

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Potential - land which offersconsiderable potential to accommodatefuture expansion of a range of woodlandtypes, but where at least one significantsensitivity exists. The extent to whichspecific proposals in potential areas willbe permissible will depend on how wellsensitivities can be addressed within theproposals. The design of schemes in suchareas will require careful consideration.

Sensitive* - land where the nature orcombination of sensitivities restricts thescope to accommodate woodlandexpansion or removal. Limited expansionis only likely to be possible whereproposals are of a scale and characterwhich can be accommodated withoutsignificant negative impacts, and/orwhere it would positively enhancefeatures of interest. In some areascumulative impact may be a relevantconsideration.

Map 6 (Potential for WoodlandExpansion) below identifies the landcovered by each of the above RTRPrecommended categories with thefollowing additional land categories

Existing woodland (the currentwoodland resource);Unsuitable (areas assessed as beingphysically unsuitable for the growth ormanagement of trees, based on theformer Macaulay Institute’s LandCapability Maps for Forestry and windfarm footprints);Built-up areas

It is critical to understand, however, thatthis mapping is necessarily indicative.


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* Note: This modifies the RTRP definition inthat it allows the ‘nature’ of a sensitivity tohave sufficient weight in itself to justify asensitive allocation. In the case of the SCFWSthis applies to Inventory Battlefields atSherrifmuir, Bannockburn, Sauchieburn andStirling Bridge (primarily urban). Furtherdiscussions are however taking place betweenFCS and Historic Scotland to ensure aconsistent national approach is taken on thisissue. Depending on the outcome it may thenbe necessary to adjust the categorisation ofInventory Battlefields. Map 6 Potential for Woodland Expansion

[Available to view at a larger scale via Stirling andClackmannanshire Councils’ internet mapping services]

Site specific constraints andopportunities exist within each landclassification, but cannot be effectivelyrecorded or depicted at a scaleappropriate for the FWS. Detailedassessment of individual woodlandcreation proposals, as required byforestry legislation and regulations,remains the primary means ofenvironmental safeguarding. The mapsin this document are therefore intendedonly to guide readers towards suitablesites and to highlight areas whereparticularly objectives apply.

As a regional strategy, the SCFWSfocuses on regionally significantsensitivities and environmental effects.Information on sensitivities forwoodland expansion was thereforecompiled using GIS datasets depictingthe most important environmentalfeatures. In line with RTRP, each of theidentified sensitivities was thenassigned to the ‘sensitive’ or ‘potential’category, depending on the likely levelof constraint their presence wouldimpose on any type of future woodlandexpansion. The categorisation ofsensitivities are detailed in Table 2below and mapping of a number ofsensitivities included in Appendix V.

4.3 Habitats RegulationsAppraisal (HRA) andGeologicalConservationReview sites

Habitats Regulation Appraisal It is a statutory requirement that ‘acompetent authority must notauthorise a plan or project unless, bymeans of the appropriate assessment,they can ascertain that it will notadversely affect the integrity of aEuropean / Natura site.’

Accordingly the SCFWS has been thesubject of an HRA which has identifiedthat woodland planting in the followinglocalities should be the subject of sitespecific limitations to ensure theintegrity of these European sites are notadversely affected, that is:-

Flanders Moss SAC (refer torestrictions)

The River Tay, River Teith, EndrickWater and Firth of Forth SACs(refer to restrictions)

Firth of Forth SPA (refer torestrictions)

Geological Conservation Reviews In addition there are also variousGeological Conservation Review (GCR)sites in the strategy area. They varyconsiderably in scale and nature, fromthe Gargunnock Burn to part of thesouthern escarpment of the Ochil Hills.Gartness covers around 10 sq.km,whilst Aucheneck is about 1.0 sq.km.Where appropriate it may be necessaryfor woodland expansion proposals totake account of impacts on the geo-diversity value of GCR sites and alsoconsider where woodland plantingcould improve understanding, accessand interpretation.

With respect to the selectedsensitivities it is acknowledged thereare a range of sites across Stirling andClackmannanshire within the potentialand sensitive categories but, on accountof their designation, location orlandscape character, the level ofsensitivity for woodland expansionvaries. Examples of such sites, togetherwith an indication of appropriatewoodland expansion opportunities thatcould be considered, are shown in Table3 below.

4.4 Woodland TypesAs well as setting out guidance onplanning for forestry and woodland,RTRP also encourages planningauthorities to consider what types ofwoodland they may wish to includewithin their Strategies; particularly inrelation to the four main types listedand defined in Table 4 overleaf.


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Table 2 List of Sensitivities

Table 3 Examples of Woodland expansion in Potential and Sensitive Areas

)


Table 4 “Right Tree in the Right Place” Woodland Types

Map 7 Opportunities for New Native Woodlands

Map 8 Opportunities for Mixed Woodlands

Native woodland and mixed woodlandwith a significant productive timbercomponent are considered to be the twomost appropriate types of woodlandexpansion for Stirling andClackmannanshire ; descriptions ofsoftwood and energy forests are includedfor general reference only.

In order to determine areas for potentialwoodland expansion, for these twowoodland types – native woodland andmixed woodland – two maps have beendeveloped using the indicative potentialdataset as their basis, to ensure that keysensitivities were respected in eachinstance (see Maps 7 and 8 above).

Additional sources of data were used todraw out opportunities and differentpriorities; these include:

Integrated Habitat Network datasets -highlighting opportunities for new nativewoodland and as shown in Appendix V(Map A4 Integrated Habitat Network).Land Capability for Agriculture - highlighting better quality agriculturalland where the priority would besupporting existing agriculture, and moremarginal areas where woodland couldadd value for farmers and theenvironment alike.

Indicative Flood Risk Map - highlightingthe ‘area of search’ for new flood plainand riparian woodland to contribute toclimate change adaptation.

Furthermore, and in order to give a localgeographic context, these two woodlandtypes have been mapped against thethirteen Landscape Character Typesfound within Stirling andClackmannanshire and as shown inAppendix V (Map A1 LandscapeCharacter), together with the seven keythemes of the Scottish Forestry Strategy;thus showing how and where to targetthe delivery of these themesgeographically across Stirling andClackmannanshire.Table 5 below shows the relationshipbetween each Landscape Character area,potential woodland type and mainScottish Forestry Strategy theme. It should be recognised, however, thatother types of forest / woodland may beappropriate within each of theseLandscape Character areas and equallythat the forest / woodland typessuggested may not be appropriate acrossthe entire area of each.


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Table 5 Opportunities for Woodland Expansion

APPENDICESI Summary of Consultation Responses

II Additional Policy Documents

III Regulatory Processes

IV Strategic Themes, Objectives and Outcomes

V Maps

VI References

VII Key Partners

[Appendices referred to in this document have not been included in the published version of the Strategy, but can be viewed online in both Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils websites.]


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