Volume 349, 1 August 2015, Pages 149–161
Highlights
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- Woodland expansion in Scotland can have many benefits.
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- These benefits are well articulated but differ by stakeholder and location.
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- Economic incentives for expansion are offset by bureaucracy and social norms.
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- Evaluation of woodland expansion is severely limited by a lack of research.
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- Research should focus on benefit distribution, perceptions, and outcome evaluation.
Abstract
The
Scottish Government has clearly stated its intention to increase
woodland cover from 18% towards 25% of land area by 2050. This will rely
heavily on publicly funded grant schemes to encourage woodland creation
on private land. However, at present required rates of woodland
expansion are not being met. Moreover, the benefits of new woodland are
not guaranteed and depend on woodland type, spatial characteristics and
cultural context. This paper reviews the rationale behind the current
desire for expansion in Scotland and the barriers to its realisation. It
argues that clearer articulation of woodland benefits is required,
recognising both their variability over space and potentially
detrimental impacts on other land uses. It further emphasises the role
of landowner motivations and attitudes, and investigates the various
influences on the decision-making process. Finally, it examines attempts
to evaluate woodland expansion, particularly the use of indicators and
spatial analysis, and the limitations of these approaches. It concludes
by identifying areas for further research, emphasising benefit
distribution, changing perceptions, and greater outcome evaluation.
Keywords
- Ecological restoration;
- Ecosystem services;
- Forestry policy;
- Landowner decision-making;
- Reforestation;
- Woodland benefits
- Corresponding author. Tel.:
+44 (0)131 650 8734.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
