Scotland’s woodlands and forests are a vital national resource and play an important role in rural development and sustainable land use. As well as helping to reduce the impacts of climate change and providing timber for industry, our forests enhance and protect the environment and provide opportunities for public enjoyment. The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) will support: - the creation of new woodlands, contributing towards the Scottish Government target of over 10,000 hectares of new woodlands per year - the sustainable management of existing woodlands WIG WIAT FOOTPATHS ==================== This option aims to provide support for operations that will contribute to the sustainable management of urban woodlands and provide a range of public benefits. Urban woodlands are those located within one kilometer of settlements with a population of over 2000 people. Support will be provided for applications that can: - bring neglected woodlands into management - develop opportunities to use and enjoy existing and newly created woodlands - enhance woodland sites supported under previous programmes This dataset identifies new and upgraded footpaths grant aided under the FGS WIG WIAT Option.

Scotland’s woodlands and forests are a vital national resource and play an important role in rural development and sustainable land use. As well as helping to reduce the impacts of climate change and providing timber for industry, our forests enhance and protect the environment and provide opportunities for public enjoyment. The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) will support: - the creation of new woodlands, contributing towards the Scottish Government target of over 10,000 hectares of new woodlands per year - the sustainable management of existing woodlands SPECIES CONSERVATION ================== This dataset contains three species conservation options. The aims of these option are as follows: Grey Squirrel Control - ----------------------------------- The aim of this option is to support the targeted control of grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in areas where they are a threat to red squirrel (S. vulgaris) populations. This is an annual recurrent grant to support the labour costs for effective grey squirrel control. This includes the setting and monitoring of traps, the humane despatch of live animals and the completion of cull returns. Predator Control for Capercaillie and Black Grouse - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This option offers support for predator control to benefit capercaillie and black grouse which are vulnerable to predation. This option is only available on forested land. This is an annual grant to support the costs of labour and materials needed to undertake predator control within a 1.5 kilometre radius around active lek or breeding sites. This includes labour costs for shooting and trapping of pest mammals and birds, the monitoring of traps, the humane despatch of live animals, the completion of annual monitoring returns, and associated material costs such as traps. Reducing Deer Impact - --------------------------------------- The aim of this option is to reduce deer impacts to a level that will allow the regeneration of unprotected soft conifer and broadleaved species at a landscape scale, to help diversify forests and improve their conservation value. Grants are available to help reduce deer numbers or maintain them in the range of five to 10 deer per square kilometre. This is an annual grant to support the costs of labour for culling and monitoring deer populations.

Scotland’s woodlands and forests are a vital national resource and play an important role in rural development and sustainable land use. As well as helping to reduce the impacts of climate change and providing timber for industry, our forests enhance and protect the environment and provide opportunities for public enjoyment. The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) will support: - the creation of new woodlands, contributing towards the Scottish Government target of over 10,000 hectares of new woodlands per year - the sustainable management of existing woodlands WIG RESTRUCTURING REGENERATION - OPTIONS =============== This option aims to improve the biodiversity, resilience and species diversity of woodlands in the long term. This will be achieved through restructuring their age and species composition at the point of re-planting following felling. Restructuring Scotland’s woodlands will help deliver against the outcomes in the Scottish Forestry Strategy. Two grant rates are available: 1) Delivering UK Forestry Standard Woodland 2) Delivering Diversity and Resilience Woodland and there are two steps to determine whether your proposal will be eligible. Please use the URL link below for further details.

Scotland’s woodlands and forests are a vital national resource and play an important role in rural development and sustainable land use. As well as helping to reduce the impacts of climate change and providing timber for industry, our forests enhance and protect the environment and provide opportunities for public enjoyment. The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) will support: - the creation of new woodlands, contributing towards the Scottish Government target of over 10,000 hectares of new woodlands per year - the sustainable management of existing woodlands NATIVE WOODLAND ================== The aims of this option are to: - maintain native woodland - bring native woodlands and designated woodland features into good ecological condition - restore Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites to native woodland through deer control and the natural regeneration Native woodlands include a range of habitat types that are all UK priority habitats, while some are also European priority types. Good ecological condition of woodland depends partly on its character, age and management history. In general, woodland in good ecological condition contains a variety of open ground, native trees and shrubs and wildlife species expected for the type of woodland. The proposed management must be suitable for the ecosystem to be sustained, adapted or expanded. You must control any threats from non-native species or inappropriate levels of grazing and browsing so that natural regeneration is encouraged.

Scotland’s woodlands and forests are a vital national resource and play an important role in rural development and sustainable land use. As well as helping to reduce the impacts of climate change and providing timber for industry, our forests enhance and protect the environment and provide opportunities for public enjoyment. The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) will support: - the creation of new woodlands, contributing towards the Scottish Government target of over 10,000 hectares of new woodlands per year - the sustainable management of existing woodlands WOODLAND CREATION - CLAIMS ============================== The aim of this category is to support the creation of new woodland that will bring economic, environmental and social benefits. These benefits include: - meeting our target to increase woodland cover by an extra 100,000 hectares between 2012 and 2022 - helping mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration - restoration of 'lost' habitats through developing forest habitat networks - supporting a sustainable forest industry by providing a reliable timber supply - protecting soil and water - providing community benefits through public access - enhancing urban areas and improving landscapes - supporting rural development through local businesses and farm diversification This dataset identifies areas where tree planting has taken place under the following FGS woodland creation options: - Conifer - Diverse Conifer - Broadleaves - Native Scots Pine - Native Upland Birch - Native Broadleaves - Native Low-density Broadleaves - Small or Farm Woodlands - Native Broadleaves in Northern and Western Isles The polygons in this dataset identify the spatial location of tree species grant aided under FGS and the planting year. All areas of grant aided open ground (OG) and non-grant aided other land (OL) are excluded from this dataset.

Woodland Creation forms part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2014 - 2020. The SRDP delivers Pillar 2 of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Utilising some £1,326m of European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development funding, plus Scottish Government match funding, it funds economic, environmental and social measures for the benefit of rural Scotland. The SRDP is co-funded by the European Commission and the Scottish Government and reflects the 6 EU Rural Development Priorities. The programme also reflects the Scottish Government National Policy Framework (NPF). The aim of the Forestry Grant Scheme woodland creation category is to support the creation of new woodlands that will provide a range of economic, environmental and social benefits which include: - delivery of the Scottish Government target to extend woodland cover by an additional 100,000 hectares over the period of 2012-2022 - climate change mitigation by tackling greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration - restoration of lost habitats through developing forest habitat networks - underpinning a sustainable forest industry by providing a reliable timber supply - protecting the soil and water environment - providing community benefits through public access - enhancing urban areas and improving landscapes - supporting rural development through local businesses and farm diversification A fundamental consideration when creating new woodland is whether or not the tree species is appropriate to the site. You should carry out an appropriate site based assessment of soil and vegetation to match species choice with the particular site. Forestry Research 'Ecological Site Classification' (ESC) decision support system helps guide forest managers and planners to select ecologically suited species to sites. ESC considers: windiness; temperature; moisture; continentality; soil moisture and soil nutrients. This helps to determine suitability of the chosen species to the site and identifies it as: poor; marginal; suitable or very suitable. In order to be considered for SRDP grant support the overall suitability for your chosen species must be either 'very suitable' or 'suitable'. As an initial first step in determining suitability, the polygons in this dataset represent the climatic suitability of the chosen tree species to the site. Climatic suitability, based on ESC uses the following climatic site factors: - Accumulated temperature - Moisture deficit - Exposure (Detailed Aspect Method Scoring [DAMS]) - Continentality NOTE: This datasets does NOT take into account any soils information. Any application that is identified on the map as being either 'unsuitable' or 'marginal' may still be considered - but only if you clearly demonstrate that the site is 'suitable' for the chosen species of tree (for example where there is localised shelter in an otherwise exposed location). The woodland creation category has nine options and the associated aims are: - 'Conifer' To create conifer woodlands on land that is suitable for timber production and that is accessible for timber transport (including links to suitable public roads). This option is principally aimed at planting Sitka spruce. - 'Diverse Conifer' To create conifer woodlands on land that is suitable for timber production and that is accessible for timber transport (including links to suitable public roads). This option is aimed at planting conifer species other than Sitka spruce. - 'Broadleaves' To create broadleaved woodlands on land that is suitable for sawn and prime timber and that is accessible for timber transport (including links to suitable public roads). - 'Native Scots Pine' To create or expand native pinewood priority habitat (NVC) W18 - 'Native Upland Birch' The creation of native upland birch woodland of the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) W4: Downy Birch with Purple Moor Grass on shallow peaty soils. - 'Native Broadleaves' To create native broadleaved priority woodland habitats of the following National Vegetation Classification (NVC) types: W6 Alder with Stinging Nettle W7 Alder-Ash with Yellow Pimpernel W8 Ash, Field maple with Stinging Nettle W9 Ash, Rowan with Dogs Mercury W10 Oak (penduculate) with Bluebell Hyacinth W11 Oak (sessile), Downy Birch with Bluebell/wild Hyacinth W16 Oak, Birch W17 Oak (sessile), Downy Birch with Bilberry/Blaeberry - 'Native Low Density Broadleaves' To create specific native woodland or scrub habitats; including areas of ecotones for black grouse, treeline woodlands, juniper and other forms of scrub woodland and wood pasture systems. Normally associated with other woodland habitats in a transitional situation (eg. transition onto open hill: Black Grouse; Montane Scrub). - 'Small or Farm Woodland' To create small scale mixed broadleaved and conifer woodlands on farms and other rural land. - 'Native Broadleaves in Northern & Western Isles' To create native woodlands that contributes to the Orkney, Shetland or Western Isles woodland strategies. DATASET ATTRIBUTES: - Suitability - ie. 'Very Suitable', 'Suitable', 'Marginal', 'Unsuitable' or 'Inland Water'

This dataset is derived from data supplied the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and is based on information from the BTO Bird Atlas 2007-11. Scottish Forestry would like to thanks BTO for their approval to use this data. The areas defined in this dataset can help support predator control to benefit capercaillie which are vulnerable to predation. This support is offered via the Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) - Sustainable Management of Forests - Species Conservation - Predator Control for Capercaillie and Black Grouse.

This dataset identifies a target area within Highland where higher intervention rates will be paid for native woodland creation through Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) applications made under the SRDP (2014-2020) programme. The data is primarily based on information derived from the Highland Council's Forest and Woodland Strategy. Some additional information has been included from another FGS target area based on woodland creation in Cairngorms National Park.

Woodland Creation forms part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2014 - 2020. The SRDP delivers Pillar 2 of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Utilising some £1,326m of European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development funding, plus Scottish Government match funding, it funds economic, environmental and social measures for the benefit of rural Scotland. The SRDP is co-funded by the European Commission and the Scottish Government and reflects the 6 EU Rural Development Priorities. The programme also reflects the Scottish Government National Policy Framework (NPF). The aim of the Forestry Grant Scheme woodland creation category is to support the creation of new woodlands that will provide a range of economic, environmental and social benefits which include: - delivery of the Scottish Government target to extend woodland cover by an additional 100,000 hectares over the period of 2012-2022 - climate change mitigation by tackling greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration - restoration of lost habitats through developing forest habitat networks - underpinning a sustainable forest industry by providing a reliable timber supply - protecting the soil and water environment - providing community benefits through public access - enhancing urban areas and improving landscapes - supporting rural development through local businesses and farm diversification A fundamental consideration when creating new woodland is whether or not the tree species is appropriate to the site. You should carry out an appropriate site based assessment of soil and vegetation to match species choice with the particular site. Forestry Research 'Ecological Site Classification' (ESC) decision support system helps guide forest managers and planners to select ecologically suited species to sites. ESC considers: windiness; temperature; moisture; continentality; soil moisture and soil nutrients. This helps to determine suitability of the chosen species to the site and identifies it as: poor; marginal; suitable or very suitable. In order to be considered for SRDP grant support the overall suitability for your chosen species must be either 'very suitable' or 'suitable'. As an initial first step in determining suitability, the polygons in this dataset represent the climatic suitability of the chosen tree species to the site. Climatic suitability, based on ESC uses the following climatic site factors: - Accumulated temperature - Moisture deficit - Exposure (Detailed Aspect Method Scoring [DAMS]) - Continentality NOTE: This datasets does NOT take into account any soils information. Any application that is identified on the map as being either 'unsuitable' or 'marginal' may still be considered - but only if you clearly demonstrate that the site is 'suitable' for the chosen species of tree (for example where there is localised shelter in an otherwise exposed location). The woodland creation category has nine options and the associated aims are: - 'Conifer' To create conifer woodlands on land that is suitable for timber production and that is accessible for timber transport (including links to suitable public roads). This option is principally aimed at planting Sitka spruce. - 'Diverse Conifer' To create conifer woodlands on land that is suitable for timber production and that is accessible for timber transport (including links to suitable public roads). This option is aimed at planting conifer species other than Sitka spruce. - 'Broadleaves' To create broadleaved woodlands on land that is suitable for sawn and prime timber and that is accessible for timber transport (including links to suitable public roads). - 'Native Scots Pine' To create or expand native pinewood priority habitat (NVC) W18 - 'Native Upland Birch' The creation of native upland birch woodland of the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) W4: Downy Birch with Purple Moor Grass on shallow peaty soils. - 'Native Broadleaves' To create native broadleaved priority woodland habitats of the following National Vegetation Classification (NVC) types: W6 Alder with Stinging Nettle W7 Alder-Ash with Yellow Pimpernel W8 Ash, Field maple with Stinging Nettle W9 Ash, Rowan with Dogs Mercury W10 Oak (penduculate) with Bluebell Hyacinth W11 Oak (sessile), Downy Birch with Bluebell/wild Hyacinth W16 Oak, Birch W17 Oak (sessile), Downy Birch with Bilberry/Blaeberry - 'Native Low Density Broadleaves' To create specific native woodland or scrub habitats; including areas of ecotones for black grouse, treeline woodlands, juniper and other forms of scrub woodland and wood pasture systems. Normally associated with other woodland habitats in a transitional situation (eg. transition onto open hill: Black Grouse; Montane Scrub). - 'Small or Farm Woodland' To create small scale mixed broadleaved and conifer woodlands on farms and other rural land. - 'Native Broadleaves in Northern & Western Isles' To create native woodlands that contributes to the Orkney, Shetland or Western Isles woodland strategies. DATASET ATTRIBUTES: - Suitability - ie. 'Very Suitable', 'Suitable', 'Marginal', 'Unsuitable' or 'Inland Water'

This dataset provides an Integrated Habitat Network (IHN) for native woodlands in Scotland. Its purpose is to aid the scoring process when assessing Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) applications made under the SRDP (2014-2020) programme. It identifies three levels of information:- - core native woodlands - primary zones that are within a 'least-cost distance' of 500m - secondary zones that are within a 'least-cost distance' of 2,000m These latter two zones represent the differing dispersal abilities of generic woodland species across surrounding land which is not source native woodland.