Forestry Matters Summer 2021

Navigating Natural Capital Woodland Creation on a Small Scale Return of the Lynx?

Robots and AI in Forestry Forestry Market Traditional and New

Summer 2021

Contents

Welcome to Forestry Matters We Remember 2020 – For the Right Reasons

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Navigating Natural Capital

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Artificial Intelligence & Robotics in Forestry

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DNB Dothistroma Septosporum

10 The Bunloit Project 14 Green Infrastructure 15 What happens when you Sea Eagles

16 Timber - Riding the Covid Rollercoaster 17 Forestry News 18 Planning for Progress 20 Forest Property & Land Market 22 The Causes of Oak Decline 24 Restrictions bring Opportunity

26 Return of the Lynx?

27 New Woodland Creation On a Smaller Scale 28 Scottish Estates 30 Mycorrhizal Associations in Woodlands

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am sure that very few of us have ever seen such an unusual year as 2020. I am not just referring to Covid 19.

This has of course been a global pandemic of huge significance, cost to the economies of societies across the globe and indeed sadness for many and this we will not forget. I always look to reflect on the positives and our forestry sector rarely fails to deliver these.

Not least the fact that 2020 has been a year of staggering growth in forestry property values in the UK. Not many sectors can refer to average growth in asset values of 39%.

It has also been a year in which, despite the economic pressures of Covid 19 on the purse strings of governments, businesses and individuals there has been huge growth in demand for woodland carbon, pending issuance units and ability to develop carbon sequestration projects. The drive for net zero, be that government targets of 2045 or 2050 or the many tighter targets set by many businesses, has not faltered.

At Galbraith we continue to guide investors and owners in the management of their forests and woodlands to maximise their traditional timber and other outputs to best meet the current and future market demands. That has real value here and now as has been demonstrated at the start of 2021 with some very strong log values well into three figures at the mill gate. Good silvicultural management will ensure these values can be realised, that woodlands look good and add to the amenity and capital value of a

property as they always have and always will.

In addition, we have developed a strong and growing team who are actively involved in woodland creation schemes delivering woodland carbon and broader biodiversity gains with several schemes in development of over 1000 hectares. This, linked with peatland schemes and a strong appreciation of the wider aspects of natural capital is a growing part of our day to day business. There are aspects of natural capital and carbon which transcend every business, be they in the rural, commercial or residential sectors.

The development of strong links with partners providing science based solutions to the assessment and valuation of natural capital will also form a key part of asset management, valuation and agency in 2021 and beyond.

We are delighted that Dr Eleanor Harris is joining our team in April to strengthen and lead our natural capital team and work across all aspects of our operations. Whilst Eleanor will be working on all aspects of natural capital, she will work closely with Louise Alexander in further developing our woodland carbon delivery.

We remember 2020 as an amazing year for the forestry sector, growth in asset values, a continued healthy demand for the sustainable raw materials we produce, strengthening appreciation of what forests and woodlands can contribute to net zero targets and we look forward to 2021 with great enthusiasm. n

Athole McKillop 07718 523 045 athole.mckillop@galbraithgroup.com

Galbraith is a leading independent property consultancy. Drawing on a century of experience in land and property management the firm is progressive and dynamic employing over 200 people in offices throughout Scotland and the North of England. We provide a full range of property consulting services across the commercial, residential, rural and energy sectors. Galbraith provides a personal service, listening to clients and delivering advice to suit their particular opportunities and circumstances.

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Tonnes of

Timber by Rail The Scottish timber industry estimates that over 10 million tonnes of timber will be harvested every year for the foreseeable future with the vast majority of this being transported over rural road networks. The industry is working hard to ensure this is sustainable and benefits the local communities, the environment and the transport infrastructure.

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unro Harvesting Ltd, a timber harvesting and marketing company based in Dingwall in the Highlands have been involved in an exciting new project that hopes to demonstrate that moving timber by rail is a viable and greener alternative to using roads.

Munro Harvesting Director Matt Thompson spoke to our Inverness team about the project.

Victa Railfreight undertook the trial with grant funding of £195,000 from the Scottish Government's Scottish Strategic Rail Freight Fund. The Strategic Rail Freight Fund was established in 2019, with £25million available to help stimulate rail freight travel.

Munro Harvesting worked in partnership with Transport Scotland, Network Rail, Hi Trans and Scottish Forestry to run between 2 and 3 trains a week. As a result they managed to move just over 1800 tonnes of timber by rail.

This is the equivalent of 80 + lorries taken off the road network. The trains were loaded from Georgemas Junction near Halkirk to the Inverness Millburn Yard for onward delivery to the wood processing plants at Norbord, Dalcross and James Jones at Mosstodloch, a distance of just under 150 miles.

A previous trial carried out in 2009 identified several shortfalls in the loading infrastructure that made the service uneconomical. Going forward the hope is to gain more funding to allow the purchase of timber specific trains that will carry more timber, improved loading facilities and the construction of a rail yard in Inverness to allow for direct distribution to the local timber mills.

The removal of such a large volume of traffic from the fragile road networks across the Highlands will benefit the local communities and help reduce the industry's climate impact. It is hoped that these new haulage routes will also encourage the creation of new productive woodlands in more rural areas that were previously inaccessible to local timber markets. n

Louise Alexander 07795 336 070 louise.alexander@galbraithgroup.com 3

We know about capital….

‘His whole stock is distinguished into two parts,’ wrote Adam Smith, the Father of Capitalism, 245 years ago. ‘That part which, he expects, is to afford him revenue, is called his capital. The other supplies his immediate consumption, as it gradually comes in’.

Smith went on: ’As every individual endeavours to employ his capital, every individual is led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it.’

…but what about natural capital?

Natural capital is simply planet Earth: its rocks, soil, water, atmosphere, plants and animals. But it is Earth viewed from a specific perspective: its ability to generate the ‘revenue’ — oxygen, water, food, building and clothing materials, disease control — which supports human life.

When populations are low, the revenue is there for the taking. But as populations grow, we hit natural capital barriers. It seems likely that the invention of farming was partly driven by hungry people outcompeted by higherstatus hunter-gatherers. Their innovation has enabled population to keep growing to this day. Humanity has taken food production seriously, and cracked it — although we know that if climate change, phosphate shortage or pollinator extinction were to devastate Earth’s food-growing capacity, it would be a fundamental catastrophe.

Our more recent history shows food is not the only resource we cannot take for granted. In late Medieval Britain, deforestation resulted in a long fuel crisis which checked prosperity until large-scale use of coal enabled population growth and urbanisation. The super-insulated turf houses of

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Iceland were invented because wood for building and heating was quickly used up by the original settlers. The Rapa Nui lost their seafaring culture once there were no more trees on Easter Island to build boats. The East India Company instigated forest protection in St Helena when the water supply which underpinned their business plan was in jeopardy.

Shortage results in adaptation, innovation, or disaster.

So far we have been considering biological natural capital. Yet in our modern world, it is another form we are squandering most disastrously.

Food can be farmed, forests harvested sustainably: we can see how to spend the revenue and invest in the capital. Yet with minerals like coal, oil, phosphates, sand, iron ore, we have only capital. Abundant, but not infinite, we have been splashing

capital about with disastrous consequences: climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction.

Managed land, producing and restoring simultaneously, is the engine of circular economy.

Investing in natural capital

Where is it leading?

This is where natural capital meets and interacts with three other concepts: ecosystem services, circular economy, and regenerative farming and forestry.

Are all these proliferating concepts passing fashions? I don’t think so.

They are part of a fast-developing, interconnected theory of how we can supply our needs while reversing environmental destruction, at the end of a trend which we can trace back throughout human history. Fans of Adam Smith were shocked when, fifty years later, industrial revolution had created smoke, exploitation and misery. His ‘invisible hand’ got a bad name; but consumers, industrialists, and governments developed regulations on food standards, child labour, health and safety, air quality, and much more which we now take for granted. Faced with ecological disaster, we have the same imperative to constrain our market, and channel it into restoration.

Ecosystem services are the revenue of natural capital. Not just food, clothes, houses and transport, but those we take for granted: stable climate, breathable air, drinkable water, medicines, mental wellbeing.

Yet now that our wasteful use of natural capital is putting these under threat, we need to include them in our calculations.

Circular Economy is not about recycling, but about production.

Economic activity to meet our needs has historically been as linear as a dormouse taking a hazelnut from a tree, eating it, and dropping the shell. This works in a balanced ecosystem, but we have too many humans on the planet, and have delved too deep into its resources, for nature to pick up the rest of the cycle. Instead of nutshells, we have climate change, oceans of plastic, nitrate pollution, rivers destroyed for sand mines. Circular economy is taking responsibility for the whole cycle: ensuring that what we produce is renewable, regenerative, and reusable. It means using our mineral resources so wisely that they are a closed loop — without extraction or pollution. It means new inputs (such as food and timber) are from systems which are not just sustainable, but regenerative — restoring ecosystems damaged over millennia. Economy has caused environmental destruction; but circular economy would restore Adam Smith’s benevolent ‘invisible hand’, driving ecological restoration.

Instead of nutshells, we have climate change, oceans of plastic, nitrate pollution, rivers destroyed for sand mines...

This is where you come in, and why we are hearing more and more about our third concept: regenerative agriculture — we must also include regenerative forestry.

The practices for delivering this shift — from cover crops to carbon credits — are evolving even faster than the concepts. In the real world of emerging business, marketing is allimportant, but greenwash is a real danger. The carbon price is likely to soar, but it could also bubble. We need to ‘think global and act local’, understand the big picture as we apply concepts like NatCap valuations, biodiversity offsets, charismatic carbon, and rewilding.

Amongst the storm of buzz-words, messy growth and heated debate, we need to navigate the current of taking responsibility for the whole cycle. It starts on the land.

Galbraith have been helping farmers, woodland and landowners manage their land for decades, managing Natural Capital is not new to us, it is what we have been doing for years.

There is a new language alongside new constraints and new opportunities; our team of specialists in the field of Natural Capital is ready to help you steer a steady path through the options opening up along the route to net-zero. n

Dr Eleanor Harris 07585 900 870 eleanor.harris@galbraithgroup.com

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Artificial Intelligence & Robotics in Forestry

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution (or Industry 4.0) concept describes the ongoing automation of manufacturing and industrial processes involving a range of digital technologies, principally cyber-physical systems (robotics), the ‘internet of things’ (the interconnection of embedded computing devices enabling data exchange between objects), on-demand availability of computer systems (cloud computing) and cognitive computing (AI or artificial intelligence).

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he aim of this technology is to produce machines that can identify and solve issues without the need for human intervention, improving efficiency and safety and allowing machines to take care of tedious, time consuming or dangerous tasks so that we don’t have to do them.

Driverless cars and greater automation both at home and in the workplace are likely to become a feature of life in decades to come.

Compared to homes, factories and roads, the forest environment is relatively chaotic and unpredictable and therefore seems poorly suited to artificial intelligence and robotics. Nevertheless, as the following examples demonstrate, these technologies are increasingly being tested in a range of forestry applications.

Robotic tree planters Field testing is due to start this year on two types of forestry robots being developed by Milrem Robotics in partnership with the University of Tartu, both based in Estonia. Each is about the size of a

small car and both are designed to be autonomous.

The planter carries 300 trees at a time and can plant 1000 to 3500 trees per day depending on species. The exact location of each tree is recorded and with this information, a separate brush cutter uses sensors to remove vegetation around the seedlings.

Autonomous driving in a forest environment is challenging for driverless vehicles because the surroundings are unstructured and chaotic, unlike the open roads encountered by driverless cars.

Navigation is made possible by a combination of laser based LiDAR sensors, high resolution cameras and GPS. Machine learning using simulated conditions allows the vehicles to plot a course as they go and ‘learn’ whether they can cross natural obstacles such as slopes, ditches or streams.

The plan is for a human operator to supervise up to five largely autonomous robotic foresters, intervening only when necessary.

This technology is an example of how robotics is maturing as a technology and enabling robots to undertake tasks in increasingly difficult environments. With many countries around the world looking to plant millions of trees to combat climate change, it is hoped that robotic foresters will be cheaper than manual or other mechanised methods of tree planting. (New Scientist, 16 January 2021).

Autonomous flying robots Despite the essential role of forests globally in conserving wildlife and processing carbon dioxide, many are threatened by deforestation and forest fires. These threats are often complicated by the lack of quantitative information that foresters and environmentalists need to manage and preserve forests.

Treeswift was started by a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering to try and address this problem.

The company is developing

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technology to automate forestry data collection using swarms of autonomous, flying robots equipped with LiDAR sensors to monitor, inventory and map forests. The drones collect images of the land and create 3-D maps that can precisely quantify forest biomass.

Treeswift is focused on three main applications for this technology; inventory calculation for the timber industry, mapping forests for conservation purposes and measuring forest biomass and fuel to prevent the spread of forest fires. Their autonomous flying robots aim to decrease forest survey times and provide more accurate information about forest condition.

The intention is also to reduce the risk of physical harm and discomfort to forestry operatives in remote and inhospitable environments, allowing an operator to stay outside the forest in the comfort and safety of their vehicle so that data can be collected faster.

Treeswift points out that the number of young people entering the forestry industry is generally decreasing while the demand for properly managed forest resources is increasing. Rather than replacing people, this type of technology is therefore intended to increase efficiency by providing foresters with a new forest management tool (Phys.Org, 13 October 2020).

The drones collect images of the land and create 3-D maps that can precisely quantify forest biomass.

Automated robotic harvesting FPInnovations is a Canadian non-profit research and development organisation with a membership of some 180 forestry industry partners including private sector companies and government bodies.

In partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and others, FPInnovations is currently running an automated harvesting project with a view to developing a new generation of forestry machinery that could one day operate fully autonomously.

“No one has been able to design a suitable machine that can work autonomously in a hostile forest environment,” says Francis Charette, digitalization manager at FPInnovations. “The terrain is unpredictable, there are many physical obstacles in the way and the worksites are remote. The first step is basic automation and if we’re successful…we’ll move on to more highly automated machines.

FPInnovations and its partners want to be one of the first in the world to develop an algorithm capable of telling a machine what tasks to do in a forest environment.”

FPInnovations are currently working on two machines. The first is a mechanical log loader being used to develop a crane that uses sensors to detect logs on the ground while avoiding obstacles such as rocks, trees or people within the work area. An algorithm will

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analyse the information and allow the machine to perform specific tasks independently.

The second machine, the Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), is a robotic vehicle being used by researchers to develop autonomous navigation and realtime forest inventory. For the latter, the UGV will eventually be sent into the forest to collect and send back data on tree species, wood volume, and other forest inventory information before sending out larger machines to carry out the harvesting work.

Inspired by the wider Industry 4.0 concept, the automatedharvesting project is part of FPInnovations’ larger Forestry 4.0 project which aims to increase the Canadian forest industry’s competitiveness by automating operations that are high risk and where retaining workers is difficult (Harvest Tech, 27 August 2020).

Recent advances in technologies such as machine learning and quantum computing are extraordinary and may well become the foundation of AI in the future. However, at the present time, we are still a long way from true AI and its widespread adoption.

It is widely predicted that the arrival of AI will have profound implications for society, including severely disrupted employment markets unless its introduction is properly managed. In the meantime, improved automation is likely to have a gradual impact in some sectors, such as when driverless cars and goods transport become a reality.

We may not see true AI for one or two decades but when it arrives, forestry is as likely to benefit from greater efficiency and safety in the workplace as any other industry. In the process, it will hopefully be possible to minimise potentially negative impacts on rural employment and retain the human perspective in woodland management. n

Paul Schofield 07717 227 417 paul.schofield@galbraithgroup.com

DNB Dothistroma Septosporum

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othistroma septosporum, commonly known as DNB is an increasingly apparent needle blight fungus. First identified within the UK in the early 1950s, its spread has increased significantly over the last 20 years.

DNB has the potential to infect several species, however, the main species of concern are the Pinus genus, particularly Lodgepole, Corsican and Scots Pine. There are two main impacts caused by DNB infection within forestry, the first is the unfortunate decline in yield on commercial crops caused by needle loss, secondly but more importantly in terms of tree safety are the effects of dieback and crown death.

Due to the slow decline of infected specimens, the threat to tree safety caused by reducing vigour and eventual death could present serious safety problems. One of the main problems caused by reduced vigour and yield is the presence of deadwood and aborted lower limbs throughout the crown. The process of DNB infection starts with needle loss, leading to death of the affected limbs/branch work, slowly working its way throughout the crown. This eventually leads to a completely dead crown, with a high level of brittle deadwood.

The wider public may not be aware of DNB, in comparison to other more widely discussed diseases such as Dutch Elm Disease and Ash Dieback. The lack of awareness by the public and some land owners has the potential to cause serious future problems to tree safety, in a wide range of areas across the UK. Although pine trees tend to be contained within forestry plantations, some remote areas have pine trees bordering roadsides and dotted throughout parklands. Many amenity users may have no understanding of the potential dangers of walking beneath dead or dying trees. The threat to Scotland’s much admired Caledonian pines caused by DNB could change the landscape of many natural scenic areas across Scotland. Members of

the public may not understand and become confused and angered, if they witness the prescription felling of infected specimens. Greater public awareness and engagement, such as signage throughout woodlands, would help to educate and reduce tensions over the inevitable outcome of infected trees.

Infected trees are not likely to suddenly fail and result in complete failure, but the increase of deadwood throughout the crown and eventual death, is a serious threat. Regular surveying will help to identify infected specimens and form the basis of a robust tree maintenance schedule. Although other countries treat DNB with aerial applications of copper fungicide, which can be effective over large areas, this is not commonplace within the UK. Instead a push towards better forestry sanitation and management is encouraged. Increased thinning can help to reduce humidity and increase airflow, helping to reduce the number of fungal spores present throughout the crop.

This approach does not help with roadside and path side trees in amenity areas with high levels of pedestrian and vehicle movement.

In these situations the only efficient course of action would be to conduct annual surveys of all high risk trees and fell the specimens when they finally succumb to DNB. In coming years the threat posed by DNB will become more of an issue, particularly in terms of tree safety.

The only positive outcome of this disease is the increase in standing deadwood within plantations. This helps to add to biodiversity and in areas where there is little to no regular activity, the standing deadwood will prove beneficial to a variety of flora and fauna. n

Kyle Sharpe 07825 064 560 kyle.sharpe@galbraithgroup.com 9

Bunloit Project The

Combatting the climate crisis and rebuilding economies after Covid will require a global green new deal in concert with total system change in environmental stewardship.

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he Bunloit project is an effort by one private landowner and his team to help address both of these concerns, in a rural context, on a 511 hectare diverse-habitat estate in Scotland. Its mission is to create an inhabited nature reserve that is a biodiverse carbon sink. It aims to be an exemplar of local solutions leadership capable of inspiring others to follow suit.

Success in this endeavour will be defined by four goals, over the ten years to 2030: • There must be a meaningful and measurable increase in the sequestration of carbon across the estate, combining deciduous woodland, mixed woodland, peatland, pasture, and built infrastructure.

• There must be a meaningful and measurable increase in biodiversity.

• There must be as high a level of employment in land management as possible, including as high a training component as possible.

• The project must be economic, generating sustainable and ethical profits that capitalise ongoing operations, and that demonstrate better ways to operate than many norms for private estates.

The Bunloit Estate, on the west slopes of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire, is particularly suitable for the chosen project, being a unique tapestry of habitats in a relatively small area (www.bunloit.com). The “local solutions leadership” element of the mission makes it clear that a critical mass in the local community must be involved in, and approve of, the project. With this in mind, the project began with a full year of stakeholder consultations ahead of drawing up a detailed plan for the mission.

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Plans are being drawn up to power both Bunloit estate and the putative new development entirely with onsite renewables...

This included a mass outreach phase in February and March (www.bunloitideas.com).

Verifiable data will be needed for carbon and biodiversity accounting as we enter the new reward system for environmental stewardship. Here there is an urgent need for research, and Bunloit aims to be a leader in this, not just in Scotland but internationally. We intend the estate to be an open laboratory for climateand biodiversity researchers, particularly from Scottish universities and research institutions. Our first research project has involved partnering with the environmental consultancy Ecosulis in a project we call Credit Nature. This will quantify the natural capital on Bunloit, using a variety of scientific techniques, and use the data to build a platform that will make it easier for other landowners to undertake naturalcapital accounting.

Peatlands are areas of particular concern in terms of quantification.

They can be either major greenhousegas sources, or sinks, depending on their physical state. The Bunloit peatlands provide an opportunity to create a well-measured baseline, in particular using measurements of

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greenhouse-gas flow in and out of the bogs, in concert with mapping of peat depth. Ongoing monitoring of greenhouse-gas fluxes can then indicate improvement following restoration interventions, notably blocking of drainage channels.

Following the removal of non-native conifers, the relative ambition and mix of effort invested in peat restoration, woodland replanting, and natural regeneration, has yet to be decided.

All will be directed at enhancing longterm carbon sequestration.

In broadleaf woodland, the expertise and experience of both nongovernmental organisations such as The Woodland Trust, Trees for Life, and governmental agencies such as Scottish Forestry, will be brought to bear in formulating a strategy for integrated management and/or wilding. Bunloit is home to some of the northern most ancient oak woodlands in the UK, and spectacular birch and Scots pine dominated woodlands.

As with carbon, there are clear opportunities to create biodiversity baselines, and then measure biodiversity change over time.

Plantlife UK, the Highland Biological Recording Group, and the Natural Capital Laboratory argue that Bunloit Estate is well suited to traditional biodiversity monitoring and assessment techniques alongside pioneering approaches such as environmental-DNA (eDNA).

Rewilding initiatives by Rewilding Europe, Knepp Wildland, and others offer encouragement that optimising the mix of grazers in the pastureland will lead to both greater biodiversity and increasing carbon content in soils.

This will entail a mix of Highland Cattle and Highland ponies as a proxy for pre-historic grazing guilds.

In existing stands of non-native coniferous woodland, intervention will be much greater. Some of Bunloit’s “commercial” plantations are sorry spectacles: crammed and spindly conifers planted decades ago atop peat, easily blown down in gales today. These we intend to fell early on.

Other plantations, notably on the Loch Ness slope, contain healthier trees. One contains mature Douglas Firs eminently suited to the construction of timber eco-homes.

Having been a founding member of the original UK Green New Deal Group in 2008, I am a firm believer that people must be an integral component of a national programme

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to help nature recover from historical mismanagement. This means rural trades, jobs, and zero-carbon homes in and part of the healing landscapes.

A small team is being hired to execute the Bunloit plan. Roles include forestry, fence care, deer management, and tourguiding of groups of eco-tourists paying to wander the wildland zone on the estate. Employment of these “Bunloit Rangers” will give preference to local recruits.

We hope to build a limited number of eco-homes, including as homes for Bunloit rangers. Our current idea, subject to a critical mass of approval in the local community, is the construction of a small development on the northern margin of the estate, on one of two clear-felled plots. This would aim to provide a mini hub for new trades, new jobs in local businesses unrelated to tourism, and some affordable housing. Expressions of potential interest in involvement to date include a furniture workshop and school and a wood processing workshop. Both would use wood from the estate.

The partner in this green infrastructure programme will be Makar, an Invernessbased company that is a Scottish leader in offsite-manufactured timber housing.

The Bunloit project operating company has invested in Makar.

Plans are being drawn up to power both Bunloit estate and the putative new development entirely with onsite renewables, notably solar. Fossil-fuels will be prohibited from all land, and battery charging will include electric vehicles, whether individually owned or poolowned.

The Scottish Government is currently developing its strategy for future land management, as all readers will know, and seems intent on a new regime where environmental stewardship of the kind we are set on at Bunloit will be rewarded economically in various ways.

The Bunloit project aims to provide a litmus test and flagship for such a way forward, and as such sow some seeds for hope of the kind that will be much needed in the post-Covid world. n This article first appeared in issue 63 (Spring 2021) of the Reforesting Scotland Journal. reforestingscotland.org

Guest article

by Bunloit owner

Dr Jeremy Leggett

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Green Infrastructure Balancing the risks and benefits of ageing trees in urban settings.

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hroughout the UK there are countless examples of majestic mature trees, bordering roads, at property entrances and lining the streets of towns and cities. Unfortunately due to the often unpredictable nature of trees, the risks presented by these mature specimens may range from nothing at all to severe.

urban life and pollution than others.

London Plane Trees are a recognisable sight across many cities in the UK. They have proven hardy and long lived, when compared to other less suitable species.

damage to the vehicles but also spreads the deadwood across the roads, potentially causing further damage and delay. Deadwood is a major problem across the UK and is present in the majority of both urban and roadside trees.

What Can Be Done to Mitigate the Risks?

Due to the fragmented nature of land ownership across Britain, exact boundaries along fields and roadsides can often blur over the years. This typically results in no preventative monitoring or works on trees located in these areas.

Although the likelihood of being seriously injured or killed by a falling tree is very low, in areas where avenues or groups of trees are all ageing and declining, the risks can rise significantly.

Regular surveying to BS5837:2012, by competent tree surveyors, can help to manage the risks and reduce any serious damage caused by urban and roadside trees.

Regular surveys will help to identify any major risks or defects, which can then be corrected by trained arborists. Deadwood can be managed easily with annual surveys, allowing the early identification and removal before it causes a problem. Trees will always be a dynamic force, with an element of risk. Tree surveys provide the best protection from the majority of risks caused by roadside and urban trees.

Other safety problems associated with roadside trees include: limb loss, fungal infections, major structural cracks and severe decay.

All of these factors increase the risks further, often resulting in complete collapse of the tree, particularly in high winds or extreme weather events. Not every roadside tree will be dangerous, but the majority of ageing roadside trees will show several defects.

Urban Risks Trees may live for many hundreds of years without presenting a significant risk. Generally in urban areas, trees are likely to be of a similar age. Across the UK, many Victorian trees are still standing and provide aesthetically appealing borders in harsh urban landscapes.

These trees will be ingrained in the memory of generations of local people, growing from small saplings to towering giants. There is no direct correlation between increasing tree age and greater risk, however, this is often the case, particularly in urban areas. Trees in these areas have often lived through many major events, with evident battle scars to prove it. This often means the trees have sustained damage to the bark, compaction of root systems by vehicles, shrapnel from WW2 and general damage sustained in day to day life. All of these factors increase the rate of decline and therefore increase the risks associated with ageing urban trees.

Some species are more tolerant to 14

Roadside Trees The same principles and dynamics apply when considering the dangers posed by ageing roadside trees, however, there are a few important differences. Unlike urban trees where surveying is more likely to be a regular management activity, roadside trees are often neglected completely. Only areas of high activity such as main roads, will receive regular surveying and pruning. Typically more rural areas and estate accesses will have many avenues of ageing trees. The most common complaint with roadside trees is deadwood. Deadwood results from damaged or aborted branches, which then die back and turn brittle. This presents a risk to both vehicular and pedestrian users. The major problem with deadwood arises when tall vehicles strike the lower canopy, dislodging the deadwood. This not only causes

Urban and roadside trees provide many benefits for people living in cities and towns. They absorb noise, provide shade in hot weather, offer habitats for birds and wildlife and encourage a sense of health and wellbeing. The risks are manageable as long as a plan is in place to monitor and care for these precious natural assets. n

Not every roadside tree will be dangerous, but the majority of ageing roadside trees will show several defects.

Kyle Sharpe 07825 064 560 kyle.sharpe@galbraithgroup.com

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What happens when you Sea Eagles?

White tailed eagles (sea eagles) and their nests are afforded the highest legal protection status, so what happens when they decide to make a nest in the middle of your productive stand?

to create a management plan. The main nest and roosts were identified, a 50m buffer zone near the nest where no felling could take place and a further 250m buffer zone around the nest and roosts where work would be limited. The eagle breeding season ranges from 1st February through to the 31st August, though active nest building can take place as early as November/December.

Therefore, all felling works had to be completed by the end of October, giving us a window of just 2 months.

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Another stipulation was that all works on site must start 2 hours after sunrise and stop 2 hours before sunset. As October drew in, this grew especially frustrating. The final requirement was that all timber must be off site by the end of December, so that no further disturbance would be caused to the eagles actively building their nest.

fter their reintroduction to Scotland in the 1970s, white tailed eagle numbers are on the increase in Scotland, with an estimated 130 breeding pairs across the country - compared with 50 pairs in 2011. In the UK white tailed eagles are strictly protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. It is an offence to take, injure or kill a white tailed eagle or to take, damage or destroy its nest, eggs or young.

We were aware of a breeding pair on one of the estates we managed they were well provided for. The area of woodland was classed as “long term retention”, meaning this area would not be felled during the course of our management plan. The area was perfect - on the edge of the woodland next to a loch, providing great visibility and foraging opportunities. Imagine our shock, then, when the sea eagles decided to move right into the middle of a Sitka spruce stand allocated for felling.

With a wingspan averaging 1.7-2.4m, it was a marvel that they could even approach the nest. However, from a higher vantage point we could deduce their entry point and nest - a tree with a snapped top.

We decided at this point to approach Nature Scot (formally Scottish Natural Heritage) and RSPB in order

The site was not without its own challenges - it was an incredibly wet site and required much brash and water management, alongside the large area of wind-throw removal required. However, with the right communication and pre-planning, we were able to complete the operation to a satisfactory standard.

We have since had the area under observation and have been reassured that the nesting pair remains there, active as ever. We still hope that they move back to their previous nest, as we will need to access the coupe again in future. However, with numbers on the increase, we will need to learn to adapt to these new working practices. n

Heather Coyle 07825 382 084 heather.coyle@galbraithgroup.com 15

Timber Riding the Covid Rollercoaster Well, what a year that was! This is a look back at the consequences on timber markets brought about by the COVID-19 outbreak; it is not a detailed analysis, more a brief reflection on how one forester saw the situation unfold and the timber industry adapt.

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ased in the North of England and operating into Southern Scotland, we are blessed with ready access to a multitude of end users for our clients’ timber with all products catered for from small roundwood through to construction grade sawlogs.

The start of 2020 saw the timber industry feeling somewhat unclear about the prospects for the coming year and markets were cautious about the future. This followed the turmoil of Brexit and glut of European wood harvested in windblown and diseased forests providing cheap oversupply into a number of markets through 2019.

How were we to know what was around the corner…?

As the first lockdown started the rush to stockpile toilet rolls and dried food products increased demand for pallets and packaging to allow these goods along with PPE to be distributed. On the other hand building sites and other end users of timber products were closed down. Demand for construction grade logs and small roundwood for the board manufacturers almost disappeared overnight. From a forester's point of view it felt very strange to drive past the enormous Egger plant which looms large over Hexham and see no steam emanating from the chimneys. Roadside stocks in forest began to rise as demand for logs reduced although our pallet mills and biomass markets continued to take timber. Firewood sales remained strong as people were ‘panic buying’ supplies to keep warm whilst working from

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home. We were committed to our harvesting programmes and work continued albeit at reduced production levels, others stopped cutting altogether.

As spring progressed the weather was both warm and dry and people ventured into their gardens. With many now furloughed and unable to spend their money on the usual holidays and hospitality attention turned to DIY improvements.

Demand for fencing and garden products started to rise and timber again began to move from the forest. Sawmills began to increase production with some changing their usual cutting patterns to meet this increased demand in traditionally lower value finished products. Low oil prices started to put pressure on the biomass sector further compounded by the closure of office space and reduced demand for heat and light. This combined with the lack of construction activity resulted in a slowdown in small roundwood movement from the forest.

As we moved into summer lockdown restrictions were gradually relaxed and confidence levels grew as more businesses started to open up. Most importantly for our industry, work on construction sites resumed.

With sawmills starting from reduced stock levels in their log yards the rush was on to get timber out of the forest and over the weighbridge. Mothballed harvesting sites were started up again and production volumes were ramped up. Despite a stop start close to the year with restrictions

and further lockdowns, demand for most products remained strong with the exception of small roundwood. The increased levels of sawmill activity resulted in large volumes of co-products and residues being produced. With this material available to the board manufacturers and biomass users to meet their requirements demand for round timber was reduced and again stock levels in the forest increased.

Looking forward to 2021, vaccines are being rolled out, infection rates are falling again and optimism exists that the ‘new normal’ is just around the corner. The forest industry is extremely buoyant and well placed to respond to the inevitable upturn (I hope!) in the economy. We, like the wider sector, are dynamic and open to changes and challenges while continuing to help to meet the government’s green recovery agenda. Many forests and estates have diversified their enterprises through, for example, recreational activities, holiday accommodation and office space all of which have been significantly affected during this year. Timber revenue has proved to be an invaluable, and indeed increasingly valuable, source of income to many businesses and will continue to be so for many years to come and through whatever life throws at us. And that is before we even start to account for the carbon too. n

Russell Porter 07718 523 061 russell.porter@galbraithgroup.com

| Forestry Matters | Summer 2021

Forestry News The Value of Natural Capital At the start of the year, a groundbreaking study was released in the UK, providing quantitative evidence of the natural capital benefits of planting new woodlands.

It has long been established that woodlands provide a number of “secondary benefits”, however this study is the first of its kind to place a monetary value on this beyond the price of the timber.

Commissioned by Scottish Forestry, Tilhill and SEPA, the study assessed a newly planted mixed woodland site, measuring the natural capital potential over the next 50 years.

In addition to revenues from selling harvested timber, the study analysed other benefits including carbon dioxide removal, flood alleviation and biodiversity.

Call for Timber Transport Applications Landowners across Scotland are being reminded

by Scottish Forestry to submit their proposals for timber transport projects before the 22nd March deadline.

Successful proposals will receive money from the Strategic Timber Transport Fund (STTF). The fund provides cofunding for projects that minimise the impact of timber lorries on Scotland’s rural road network, either through the upgrading of minor roads or encouraging timber transport by sea or other means.

Local authorities and landowners wishing for more details are encouraged to get in touch with Scottish Forestry.

Temporary Pause on New Grant Applications Scottish Forestry have had to reprioritise their workload due to the impacts of the COVID pandemic. As part of the new measures, there will be a temporary pause of six weeks from the

9th February to 22nd March on processing new forestry grant scheme applications.

The focus will be on dealing with existing grant applications, paying claims and taking forward felling permissions, which are important in order to maintain a supply of timber to the industry.

All applications that were submitted before 9th February will be processed as normal.

The measures are needed as there has been an unprecedented increase in woodland creation applications, up 33% on the previous year.

The New UK Land Carbon Registry As part of Scotland’s bid to reach net zero carbon emissions, The UK Woodland Carbon Registry and UK Peatland Code have come together to form the new UK Land Carbon Registry.

Interest in carbon credits has grown rapidly over the last year, with both companies and individuals interested in off-setting their emissions through nature based solutions.

The combination of the two UK wide carbon markets should improve accessibility and ease of applications.

Growing Rural Talent Initiative Forestry companies are being encouraged to take on new young staff through the Growing Rural Talent Initiative, which provides generous subsidies for employers willing to employ young workers. The initiative was designed to recruit more young people into the industry.

The initiative is funded under Kickstart and the Young Person’s Guarantee. It will provide up to 100 per cent financial support to private sector employers for the first six month period, and then at a rate of 50 per cent for a further six months, depending on an actual job opportunity. n

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Planning for Progress Balancing management aims to assist with environmental constraints and public opinion

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alancing our client’s objectives against site constraints can be the trickiest part of a forester’s job. Over the years our forestry team have worked hard to build good relationships with stakeholders and government bodies to enable us to develop our clients’ needs alongside statutory regulations and numerous public body opinions. Although this can be a laborious and sometimes painful process, the awarding of a contract that meets everyone’s need is just reward.

This case study shows the development of such a scheme and how our team managed everyone’s expectations to create a 300ha woodland creation scheme on the west coast of Scotland.

In December 2016 an existing client of our firm, approached the forestry team to look at the potential opportunities for planting some underutilised hill ground on the west coast of Scotland.

As an existing landowner, our client approached us to look at the availability of forestry grants and how they could be best suited to their land holding. To date the land was only utilised by seasonal grazing tenants, with a mix of sheep and cattle, providing a nominal rent.

Option 1 Approximately 135ha of native Scots pine/upland birch woodland was proposed. This would complement the existing woodlands whilst providing a substantial grant income over 6 years. This would also enclose the existing remnant woodland, protecting it from deer/livestock browsing.

Option 2 Although option 1 produced a significant income over 6 years, the estate was keen to see an improvement on this with an additional future income stream through commercial woodland production. As the FC and Hutton datasets had identified the site as suitable for commercial SS/NS and SP woodland, a much larger scheme designed to include both commercial and native woodland was requested.

A further desk-based assessment

Options

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• 88ha Commercial Scots Pine • 59ha Sitka spruce • 92ha Native broadleaves • 65ha Native Scots pine Up until this point both options were obtained from desk-based assessments. To fully assess the site’s potential, walkover surveys were required. Although the site was challenging in terms of gradient and access there was potential for a significant new woodland across the site.

However, the impact a commercial plantation would have on the surrounding landscape and land use was significant. The scheme is very prominent from a major tourist route and small village and although a welldesigned commercial scheme can provide as much diversity as a native scheme, the existing woodland and surrounding landscape didn’t reflect this.

Pros

Cons

Reflects the surrounding landscape and land uses

Small native schemes sit awkwardly within the landscape

Protects existing remnant woodlands Enables current grazing tenants to access hill ground

The client was looking to maximise the potential of the landholding for their family, ideally providing a long term income stream.

An initial desk-based assessment using FC Climatic Suitability and the James Hutton soil datasets identified approximately 300 hectares as having the potential to maintain both commercial and native woodlands.

Two options were initially put forward for discussion:

produced a 304ha scheme broken down into 7 areas:

Positive grant income

Minimal future income Restricts the creation of new habitats through site isolation

Minimal impact to Golden eagle and black grouse population

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Increased species diversity Protects larger amount of remnant woodland

Significant impact to Golden Eagle and Black Grouse population

Allows for the development of habitat networks

Impact on the character of the landscape

Significant initial and future grant income

Restricts the current grazing tenants access

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As both options presented opportunities for the client the next step was to address the stakeholder’s concerns.

Initial site surveys had highlighted concerns that the ground, although presented in the FC datasets as being suitable for commercial conifer, would be impacted negatively through the introduction of a high density conifer crop. This would impoverish the varied field layer and the local biodiversity.

To validate this an independent vegetation and peat depth survey was carried out. The survey identified the plant communities present and the areas of peatland across the site.

Using this information the proposals were remapped to a more accurate degree, ruling out areas of deep peat over 50cm and using the NVC classifications to identify the tree species most suited to the area. The survey again highlighted the rich and varied communities present across the site and recommended the planting of a mixed native broadleaf and Scots pine woodland.

A full archaeological survey was also carried out as there were existing records of hut circles and post medieval buildings and farmsteads within the site. Fifty seven sites were recorded during the survey, relating to activity in the area spanning from prehistoric to more modern times. The sites were mapped with buffer zones ranging from 5-20m.

As highlighted by the client there were previous records of Golden Eagle activity within the area, so RSPB were contacted to see what information they had. Their records showed an established breeding pair of Golden Eagles within the scheme and they immediately had great concerns about the proposals. A similar scheme on the neighbouring estate was currently going through the public consultation process and RSPB were objecting to this on the basis that commercial planting would have a negative impact on the eagle’s core territory in terms of hunting and prey potential. In fact they were opposed to any planting either native or commercial as this site was seen as the last high quality area of open ground in the area. The area identified as being commercial SP was their main area of concern as this was

the eagle’s core hunting territory. To open up discussions a site meeting with the local officer was carried out to walk over the site and listen to their concerns. We also spoke with the neighbouring estate’s forester to look at the proposals which were opposed

by RSPB. I took this information to the local Scottish Forestry officer to gauge what level of impact RSPB objections would have on the client’s case. Scottish Forestry were very keen to see a scheme in the area and had backed the neighbouring estate’s case albeit with amendments to planting design and species choice.

As part of the neighbouring estate’s consultation their bird survey was made public, and it was decided that to best support the client’s case we would instruct the same surveyor to look at the client’s proposals. Scottish Forestry had already approved the neighbouring scheme based on this surveyor’s findings so this would provide a good starting point. The scheme and its design all hinged on providing a high quality bird survey as this would provide us with independent data that could be used to support our proposals and provide a case for Scottish Forestry to present as evidence to any objections from RSPB. The grazing tenants were consulted over their leases and how best to accommodate them following the creation of the scheme. A site meeting allowed us to fully understand how they used the land and what they hoped to gain from the scheme. It was agreed to open up part of the scheme to allow continued access from the lower parks to the open hill, as the cattle only used the scheme to travel through. The sheep tenant however would be losing a significant amount of hill ground once the scheme was in place so it was decided to end this lease. Both parties were happy with this as the current tenant only had a few sheep on the hill and was looking to retire, the client was receiving a minimal rent and the woodland grant would more than compensate for this.

The planting design ensured the better quality lower parks remained open for silage and hay production.

Early on during the bird survey we discovered the scheme was home to a wide variety of Schedule 1, Red and Amber List woodland species. We also

discovered a new pair of Golden Eagles had colonised the area and a new Black Grouse lek site. This presented a new challenge as the new Golden Eagle nest now ruled out the area originally allocated as commercial SS. Following discussions with the bird surveyor, it was decided that a third option should be put forward to the client and stakeholders. This involved the substitution of the commercial SP area to native SPC/NBL and the commercial SS to a productive mix of Douglas fir, Norway spruce, Western red cedar, oak, birch and wild cherry.

The area allocated to native SPC would now become a mix of low density native broadleaves and native broadleaves. This design would fully address the vegetation and site suitability issues and also adhere to the recommendations of the bird survey.

With all this information the client decided that their main objective for the site was going to have to change slightly, and although this could be seen as a negative, the new scheme would have a range of long term benefits to the local biodiversity and environment whilst still also providing a long term income through the inclusion of the more diverse productive model.

The next step was to carry out the Scottish Forestry Stakeholder Engagement process. A concept map showing the new proposals along with all the detailed survey data was sent out to stakeholders and neighbouring landowners for formal consultation. As the stakeholders had been involved right from the start of the planning process, the formal consultation was a simple and quick process, formalising all the previous discussions and agreements. The third option was agreed with Scottish Forestry and a contract issued. The total time taken to get to this outcome was just over 15 months, mainly due to the need for the full breeding bird survey. Given the size and sensitivity of the scheme this timeframe was shorter than expected.

The scheme is now ready to be planted and will be signed off by the end of the year, weather permitting! n

Louise Alexander 07795 336 070 louise.alexander@galbraithgroup.com

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Forest Property & Land Market Traditional and New

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he last couple of years have seen the forest property market continue to go from strength to strength to levels that make some question the sustainability of the market. That said we have seen the same questions asked before and after a period of stability the market has again continued to develop.

Whether we see a period of stabilisation or continued strengthening, time will tell but everything points towards continued growth.

Recent market reports have highlighted the strengthening of the forest property market over the last two years with values increasing by some 23% in 2019 and 39% in 2020. Remarkable growth, particularly through 2020

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where other sectors have seen significant negative impacts of Covid 19.

Analysis of some sales over the last half of 2020 and early 21 has shown forest property values, with a varied age structure but weighted towards mid to higher age, averaging well over £30,000 per hectare for stocked productive conifer woodland with examples of over £40,000 per hectare.

As well as uncertainty in other asset classes the interest in low carbon investments, increasing pressure on utilising sustainable and renewable products in construction, Environmental and Social Governance reporting commitments and the good environmental story that can be built around forestry investment

all point to reasons to invest and help to explain why the forest property market continues to strengthen.

In addition, it is clear that portfolio holders and new entrants building portfolios have been buying hard.

For those that have been in the market for a number of years the ability to average values across portfolios, with relatively “cheap” investments held from several years ago, is certainly letting some justify what might otherwise be seen as eye watering values.

Equally, new funds with cash to invest have bid hard to secure properties and there have been examples of some paying well above where other bidders have been prepared to go. Clearly a fund manager sitting on cash is

| Forestry Matters | Summer 2021

not doing his job, but investment at whatever cost?

Whilst many of the drivers making people look toward forestry as an investment remain valid, it is clear that for the individual investors the values we now see make it difficult to see the return from timber sales generating a significant yield on investments in the short to medium term. Continued capital growth is likely to be required to show an acceptable return for most. That said, if a safe haven for cash is the priority there is a very good reason for the individual to look to woodland and forestry, a real and very tangible asset that in many cases can also be enjoyed.

As with woodland, the market for land with potential for woodland creation has been moving forward.

There remains significant support, both political and financial, backing new woodland creation across the UK. We are seeing farmers, landowners and investors all actively interested in taking part. With strong demand for timber globally and a limited UK production base, the investment case for creating new productive woodland is strong. That said an increasing slice of the woodland creation is being driven by carbon with a strongly developing desire to see woodland carbon forming part of many corporations’ commitments to meeting their own net zero targets.

And it is not all about woodland carbon, other aspects of natural capital are coming into their thinking.

So whilst a piece of hill ground with deep peat may have been written off or given a very low value for the purposes of a land purchase for woodland creation a few years ago – greater value is now being attributed.

But wider aspects of natural capital, whilst more difficult to value, are also of relevance even if they are not being fully monetised as yet.

So whether badged rewilding or habitat creation and expansion or simply woodland creation, land, farm and estate values are now being valued not just on their traditional outputs but their potential to enhance natural capital and deliver the associated outputs. To date, that value has largely been driven by the potential to grow native woodland, register the woodland with the Woodland Carbon Code and

What will other aspects of natural capital add once these start to have a monetary value? ultimately harvest the woodland carbon. This has very tangible value with the potential to sell Pending Issuance Units in the short to medium term. We have dealt with several sales of farms and estates where this potential has added significantly to the traditional values. What will other aspects of natural capital add once these start to have a monetary value?

Everyone is talking about natural capital, it’s the new “thing” to be marketing and lots are selling their services to farm and estate owners and making statements about what this will be worth to them.

Understanding this and what it can provide for both the owner and wider society is key, as well as to how to manage it and benefit from the ecosystem services provided. Some landowners have been paying vast

sums for audits and baseline assessments. But on what basis are these being undertaken and will they be valid when we eventually see the matrix around which these will be measured and improvements judged.

Whilst we fully endorse and can help landowners better understand the aspects of natural capital that make up their assets, ensure that these are recorded and where appropriate quantified, how far an owner goes in terms of trying to establish “measured baselines” needs very careful and informed thinking.

Certainly, having a better understanding of the natural capital associated with a property is key to ensuring that it can be highlighted and taken into account in making judgements about future management or when property is to be sold.

The development of natural capital accounting, with the British Standard Institute proposals having recently been consulted on, means we will soon have a consistent and recognised method of accounting – but not necessarily assessing. This will be a step forward and will help businesses of all types, including land based businesses, take better account of, and express, their natural capital. Understanding what it is, what its outputs are and what its value may be is clearly the topic of the year. n

Athole McKillop 07718 523 045 athole.mckillop@galbraithgroup.com

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The Causes of Oak Decline Oak is the third most common species in the British Isles and one of the most widely distributed, contributing significantly to the character and ecology of landscapes up and down the country. If Scots pine is the iconic native tree of the uplands then oak is arguably its counterpart in the lowlands.

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| Forestry Matters | Summer 2021

Oak decline should not be confused with the natural process of retrenchment

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ince 2002, Forest Research has reported an increase in the frequency of oak decline and crown dieback in central and southern England and parts of Wales.

This is due to two recognised forms of oak decline, similarly and rather confusingly known as Chronic Oak Dieback and Acute Oak Decline.

Chronic Oak Dieback has been recognised in native oaks for over a century and is not a specific disease but a complex disorder with multiple causes.

Trees are weakened by factors such as poor soils, recurrent drought, wind damage and air pollution and then become predisposed to attack by insect pests and fungal diseases. Trees often recover but decline can be rapid leading to death in severe cases. Symptoms include deterioration and loss of foliage, progressive death of branches and dieback in the crown.

There have been several outbreaks since the 1920s, each involving a different combination of factors.

However, the number of trees affected is relatively small in proportion to the total number of oaks present across the country. Outbreaks appear to stem from cycles of natural events that can last for several decades.

The second type of condition, Acute Oak Decline, was first observed in Britain in the mid1980’s and has spread rapidly across southern and central England since 2006.

The symptoms are distinctive from those seen in Chronic Oak Dieback. Trees with AOD have vertical weeping fissures that seep dark fluid down the stem.

The tissue beneath decays and in severe cases stem rot can girdle the entire tree, preventing the flow of water and nutrients essential for survival. Trees with this condition are progressively weakened and can die four to six years after symptoms first

appear. The ‘D-shaped’ exit holes caused by the beetle Agrilus biguttatus are often present in the bark of affected trees close to dying tissue.

A recent study by Forest Research and Bangor University identified that the stem bleeding and rot associated with AOD are caused by a combination of two or three different bacteria but a treatment for the disease has not yet been found.

AOD tends to occur in warmer, dryer regions with longer growing seasons and does not occur in colder parts of the country. To date, AOD has not been recorded north of Sheffield but northerly spread appears likely as climate change progresses in the future.

Oak decline should not be confused with the natural process of ‘retrenchment’. This process causes branches in the top of the crown to die back when the nutrient and water supply between root to crown reduces as a tree enters its ancient life phase (Fay, 2002).

Retrenchment can occur many times as oaks get older and the ‘stag headed’ appearance of such trees can resemble Chronic Oak Dieback.

Veteran trees in prominent landscape settings are an important heritage and biodiversity feature on many properties and require regular management like any other valuable asset. Trees should be regularly checked by an independent tree professional before any pruning or felling is considered. Even in locations where safety is not an issue, veteran trees benefit from regular management to ensure that they remain healthy for as long as possible. n

Paul Schofield 07717 227 417 paul.schofield@galbraithgroup.com

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Restrictions bring Opportunity The year 2020 induced unprecedented turmoil economic uncertainty, potential unemployment and isolation. But what happens in practice when you work within an essential service?

I expect I will have more recruits from other industries because of Covid, but I have always welcomed such people.

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| Forestry Matters | Summer 2021

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uring the first lockdown, forestry operations were classed as an essential service as they provide much needed timber for industry. This and the fact that the very nature of the profession lends itself to COVID guidelines - outdoor settings, socially distanced - has meant that some contractors are experiencing a new influx of applicants from varying backgrounds with a multitude of different skill sets. However, they have also experienced difficulties, setbacks, limited supplies and difficult working practices.

We spoke to one such contractor - Robbie Alexander of Alexander Forestry - to gain his perspective on the situation and to explain how this has altered his business.

Tell us about what you do?

I plant trees most of the year, in partnership with two other contractors. I also have a significant weeding programme and carry out some manual cutting work.

How has COVID affected your business?

Covid lost me one of my regular summer jobs last year and delayed one of my planting jobs. However, I filled the summer gap, very quickly with a new project, the old client has booked back in for this summer and I am planting the job that was delayed now.

When the Covid restrictions on working practices were first circulated, it was not hard to adopt them. We are a very sociable bunch, but as social distancing was adopted outside work too, it soon became the new norm. On planting sites, I pushed the squad further away from the plant drops and had them spread out a bit, for breaks and on the spraying sites again, I always try to keep them away from the spray station, for safety reasons. The biggest change was transport. I started giving everyone a get to work bonus for taking their own vehicles and we display letters of comfort on our dashboards to let locals know who we are and that we are essential workers.

Have you found you are getting a more diverse range of applicants?

Recruiting has always been my biggest challenge and I’ve always looked outside the industry for workers, because quite frankly the Industry fails to produce new entrants on the tools side that have the qualities I look for. I have found the biggest challenge with experienced workers is disavowing them of the notion that they can work to the poor standards that they have normally enjoyed with their previous employer.

The only real success I have had in recruiting from inside the industry, has been from students who are studying to go on and become Foresters, as they are keen to learn the practical skills and experience the reality of hill work, before going on to manage sites and confidently supervise the myriad of contractors out there. The problem, with these students, is that they then leave me to become Foresters.

I expect I will have more recruits from other industries because of Covid, but I have always welcomed such people. For example, catering staff may not be Hill Fit when they arrive, but they normally have a great work ethic and totally the right amount of will for the work.

What skills are you looking for in new applicants?

I am looking for very little from new applicants in the skills department.

Everyone gets well trained and mentored at work. I insist that my crew are tough, good craic and not prejudiced in any way. I don’t knowingly take on anyone who just wants to work for a wage. So I find that it is their qualities and character that defines their applications.

I always refer back to what my wife said about when considering someone for a job, she asks herself the simple question, “Could I sit in a car with this person for 3 hours?”

I can’t change the industry, but if people join my outfit I can guarantee them the best rates of any other contractors I know, exhilaration, and a working environment that spans some of the most wild and beautiful places across the Highlands.

Unfortunately what I have failed to do is win someone over to the idea of working for me as a career and that is rather heart breaking.

COVID has brought a multitude of challenges over the past year, however it has also provided new opportunities for people to diversify and evaluate their working practices. Small changes have allowed forestry practitioners to carry on within the industry, ensuring the sector can thrive. Certainly, it has proven how adaptable we all are. n

Heather Coyle 07825 382 084 heather.coyle@galbraithgroup.com

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Return of the Lynx?

A year-long study called Lynx to Scotland has been launched to test public support for the reintroduction of wild Lynx in the Scottish Highlands after an absence of over 500 years.

07717 227 417 paul.schofield@galbraithgroup.com

(The Guardian, 20th January 2021).

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art-funded by Danish estate owners Anders Povlsen and Lisbet Rausing, the initiative is led by the Vincent Wildlife Trust, Trees for Life and Scotland: The Big Picture and aims to test whether farmers, landowners and rural communities will agree to a pilot project in a remote area of Scotland.

stage and concedes that the project may end up demonstrating insufficient support for lynx reintroduction.

Any plans for the potential reintroduction of lynx would have to meet strict environmental tests imposed

by NatureScot and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

License applicants must prove that a Several studies suggest that bringing new species can survive naturally in the the lynx back to Scotland is ecologically wild and that its release will not conflict feasible but organisers of the project with local land users by causing emphasise the crucial importance of “unacceptable harm to people’s taking people’s attitudes and beliefs into wellbeing, livelihoods and recreational account. Pete Cairns, Director of activities”.

Scotland: The Big Picture, said recently; “a prerequisite for any discussion over The reintroduction of a charismatic prey lynx is we need to know the Scottish species such as the lynx is likely to public are in support of this and would generate strong feelings on both sides tolerate this”. of the argument, just as beaver reintroductions in Knapdale and Lynx reintroduction already faces elsewhere have done over the past intense opposition from The National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS), who decade. point to the loss of some 20,000 sheep in Norway due to native predators such as wolverine, lynx, bear and wolf, with lynx blamed for a fifth of these. NFUS says that predation in Norway has reduced over the last decade because hill farmers have stopped keeping sheep.

If the Lynx to Scotland study succeeds in demonstrating enough public support, an application for a licence to release the first lynx into the wild could follow within five years. The most likely location for a pilot project is thought to be one of a cluster of properties in the Cairngorms with large concentrations of native pinewood, including estates owned by Povlsen and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

However, the partnership is not considering a license application at this 26

Paul Schofield

benefiting from restrictions on hunting and softening public attitudes towards large carnivores.

Advocates of lynx reintroduction in Scotland point to recent research demonstrating the vital ecological role of large carnivores in maintaining properly functioning ecosystems.

Predator-prey interactions, carcass scavenging and nutrient cycling are either limited or missing from much of the Scottish landscape, contributing to the severe depletion of natural habitats (The Lynx & Us, Scotland: The Big Picture, 2018).

In Scotland, bringing back apex predators remains controversial but advocates point out that lynx have none of the negative cultural perceptions attached to them that wolves do, for example. Lynx are almost completely unknown to people in the UK, so rather than having to change existing perceptions there is The adoption of ecological restoration an opportunity to educate people about or re-wilding as a land management approach is becoming more widespread these secretive, non-threatening creatures for the first time. in the Highlands, championed not only We see the potential reintroduction

by Povlsen and Rausing, Scotland’s throwing up both challenges and largest private landowners, but also by opportunities not least with the other estates embarking on native changing outlook on land and woodland woodland projects, deer control management which we are seeing programmes or withdrawing from across the north of England and traditional activities such as driven Scotland. grouse shooting.

The lynx was widespread across the UK following the last ice age and clung on in northern Britain until at least Medieval times when widespread deforestation, declining deer numbers and persecution led to their extinction.

Along with wolves and bears, Eurasian lynx have started to recover in parts of mainland Europe in recent years,

The need for well-informed decision making is clear and we are aware that many farmers and landowners have concerns. With lynx occupying very wide territories, landscape scale thinking and collaboration is required.

We continue to follow the debate with interest and will be happy to discuss concerns or opportunities that farm, estate and woodland owners may see. n

| Forestry Matters | Summer 2021

New Woodland Creation

5 Ha with the opportunity to access additional funding for survey work if required. We have found this to be a great opportunity to streamline applications for CS Woodland Creation. Galbraith has, for example, submitted an application for a 15 Ha site in Northumberland where additional survey work was required ith both the UK and potential of the carbon units being to determine the significance of any Scottish Governments’ long sequestered, which are very likely to archaeological features. The cost of term goals to increase be more financially advantageous this work might have dissuaded the woodland and forest cover to help than what is being offered by the owner from applying if it had not reach climate change targets, it FWF. been covered by the grant. It has comes as no surprise there are strong In England, the Countryside allowed us to create a woodland financial incentives out there to get Stewardship (CS) Woodland Creation design plan that is sympathetic to the trees planted. However, new and Maintenance Grant applies to a surroundings and thoroughly check woodland creation is often seen as minimum of 3 Ha (reduced to 1 Ha in any constraints to planting, all whilst something that has to happen on a certain areas), but this is per removing costs directly from the large scale to be viable, but this is application, so can be spread across a client to make a relatively small not the case. farm or estate as long as the project financially viable.

There is financial support available in individual woodland size is more than Even after planning and both Scotland and England to allow 0.5 Ha. Whilst we are dealing with establishment, there are still more for new woodland creation on a small several woodland creation schemes economic benefits to planting small scale. Such woods not only serve of over 200 Ha in size, we are also woodlands. In the UK, registering a towards a positive contribution to the dealing with numerous smaller project with the WCC after planting environment, help with climate applications. For example, on behalf allows for the owner to sell their change mitigation and provide of a client in Northumberland, carbon units upfront as Pending enhanced amenity but they also Galbraith are currently in the process Issuance Units (PIUs) or at verification should be considered as a viable of applying for CS woodland creation stages throughout the lifetime of the option for stabilising future income grants on five small areas of land, project as they are converted to and spreading risk across an estate or totalling just over 5 Ha, which are Woodland Carbon Units (WCUs) agricultural business. currently used for extensive which can be traded on the agricultural grazing.

It is worth noting In Scotland, there is one main grant developing carbon market. This has that CS agreements set to start in option for woodland creation - the further been supported by the 2022 will be at no detriment to the Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS). It Westminster Government with the new ELMS schemes being introduced. offers various options to support creation of the Woodland Carbon planning, establishment, maintenance Reassurance has been given to land Guarantee (WCaG) which operates in managers that CS agreements could and protection of new woodlands. advance of woodland creation. This be ended early in favour of new ELMS There are options for planting areas allows those intending to plant agreements. as small as 0.25 hectares (Ha). woodland in England the opportunity All of these grants offer financial aid Running alongside this is the new to underwrite the future sale value of in establishing new woodlands and Future Woodlands Fund (FWF), their WCUs with a Government various maintenance payments after administered by Future Woodlands guarantee of an agreed price decided Scotland (FWS). Applications for this planting. However, that is not all that at reverse auction, but it does not is available financially. In England, the stop a future sale on the open market fund specifically target native Woodland Creation Planning Grant woodland creation, or restoration of if better prices can be achieved. ‘ghost’ native woodlands in Scotland. (WCPG) provides funding for the With the financial support of these work required to ascertain the It is on offer to woodland creation grants in the planning and planting potential of the land and projects that are between 3 Ha and establishment of woodlands, coupled work up a scheme design. The 100 Ha. The fund offers financial with potential income from selling minimum size requirement for this is support in the preparation of a FGS carbon units in the longer term and application and Project Design traditional timber incomes, there is no Document for validation with the better time to consider woodland Woodland Carbon Code (WCC). creation. Often small scale planting Thereafter, it offers area payments of makes very good sense as part of a £100/Ha per annum for 20 years, in mixed farm or estate business. n exchange for the assignation of verified carbon to FWS, based on a 55 year legal agreement between FWS and the land manager to maintain the woodland. This is a new pilot scheme and should be approached with caution as it does mean the landowner has no legal right to the carbon units produced by the new planting. Thus, the landowner Katie Marr would not realise any financial 07824 435 087 katie.marr@galbraithgroup.com

On a Smaller Scale W

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Scottish Estates...

The changing face of the modern estate buyer.

The expansive and wild lands of Scotland have for generations had great romantic appeal; the rugged mountain ranges, extensive coastlines, rolling countryside of the lowlands, picturesque rivers, complimented by a wealth of historical houses and buildings.

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any corners of the Scottish countryside have been forged from the traditional Scottish estate, centred on the “big house” with the extensive grounds and policies designed and enhanced to provide the perfect setting for the wealth of outdoor activities enjoyed and offered by so many estates.

These including the traditional sports of fishing, shooting and stalking, not to mention many having strong farming and forestry interests, together with many estate houses providing homes to all that worked on the estate.

The Scottish estate has always been of great interest, predominately driven by the potential buyer’s interest in the traditional sports the estate has to offer, together with the desire to “get away from it all”. The demand, without doubt, has generally outstripped supply, with only a handful of estates ever offered for sale each year, either privately or on the open market.

However, with the accelerating and very tangible understanding of climate change, the growing desire by many to offset carbon usage and the now increased need of businesses and

corporations to not only be visibly “green” but to try and meet their own net zero targets, the traditional estate, together with the hill and stock farms, are now of increased interest from this new buyer, looking to use the land for a modern purpose. Some call it rewilding or habitat creation and expansion, or more simply woodland creation. The buzz word is Natural Capital and whilst the language may be new, the reality is that this is just about managing the land to meet the demands of the market, with the market moving towards society rather than individuals. Some buyers look to plant well designed productive forests, others native woodlands or indeed a diverse mixture of both, with the newer peatland restoration also now coming into the mix. We should perhaps also be asking “what will be the next ecosystem service to be drawn upon”?

In many cases we are witnessing the interest in these estates for the traditional sports of grouse shooting, stalking, fishing and low ground shooting declining and consequently valuing and how we market estates is changing. As a firm, who have specialised in the sale, purchase,

valuation and management of estates for decades and we consider this changing and evolving market in the Scottish estate is at a pivotal point.

For some us this is the point where we look forward to how we will value an estate in the future and back at how we used to value them! We have embraced this change, without loss of sight on the past, we are ensuring we learn the new language and we are investing in people with the necessary skills and expertise to ensure our clients get the very best and up to date advice. We are delighted that Dr Eleanor Harris is joining us to strengthen the team as our Natural Capital and Carbon Leader. Eleanor will work across the business and provide a focus to ensure we maximise the opportunities ahead.

The rise in values of estates with potential to embrace delivery of ecosystem services has been fascinating to observe, as indeed has the changing face of the buyer. Hill ground, which until very recently, may have had a capital value of something in the region of £600 to £800 per acre, can now see its rate per acre being double this and in some cases more. In most cases a number of

The buzz word is Natural Capital and whilst the language may be new, the reality is that this is just about managing the land to meet the demands of the market...

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| Forestry Matters | Summer 2021

bidders have come forward at a closing date and this has successfully helped drive sale prices up to their maximum achievable level.

During the recent sales of Glenlochay Estate in Stirlingshire and Auchavan Estate in Angus, the changing face of the buyer started to become more apparent with a small number of Natural Capital buyers coming forward.

However, the recent sale of the Kinrara Estate in Invernessshire saw much more evidence of this with an increased number of buyers looking to invest in woodland creation potential and associated Natural Capital outputs. This new modern buyer can be wide ranging from corporations, institutions, investment houses, business owners to private individuals with their own personal environmental motivations and interests.

Most recently we presented an extensive stock hill farm to the market on a strictly private basis and without exception, all the interest was in the potential to manage the Natural Capital. Private, off market sales are increasing in number, principally driven by some owners keen to retain their privacy and achievable due to a strong mailing list of active buyers. Thus it is advisable to register and share your “wish list” with us.

New owners may of course wish to continue to enjoy the traditional sports, whilst at the same time perhaps introducing some native or even productive woodlands for a future income, potentially installing a hydro scheme, turbines or maybe generating further income from holiday letting units, farming or the more bespoke ideas of a distillery or wedding venue. Thus such an acquisition can be seen as a “win/win” investment as it can allow Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) requirements to be met whilst providing a financial return from other parts of the estate.

The clear observation is that those looking to buy an estate have increased in number, they come with a much wider variety of interests than previously seen but the supply remains tight and limited. So for those considering a sale of a either a traditional estate or stock farm, now perhaps couldn’t be a better time.

For those looking to either sell or buy an estate, Galbraith are extremely well placed to assist with its network of offices throughout Scotland and the north of England and a team of professionals highly experienced, skilled and qualified to advise, not only on the sale or purchase but once secured with a range of further property services including forestry, management, renewables, building surveying and planning. n

Emma Chalmers

Athole McKillop

07899 877 732 emma.chalmers@galbraithgroup.com

07718 523 045 athole.mckillop@galbraithgroup.com

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Mycorrhizal Associations in Woodlands Fungi are a cornerstone of woodland ecosystems and yet they are often overlooked, as so much fungal activity carries on unseen in the soils of the forest floor and the more visible fungi is often detrimental to tree health.

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| Forestry Matters | Summer 2021

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ycorrhizal partnerships are symbiotic relationships between plant roots and fungi. While there are many species of fungus which do not form these partnerships, the vast majority of land plants have mycorrhizas and many plants could not survive without them. It is important to understand that mycorrhiza is neither a root nor a fungus, but instead it is a distinct and separate entity that is formed when a fungus and a plant root combine. Broadly speaking, there are two main kinds of mycorrhiza.

Firstly, Endomycorrhizae, also known as arbuscular mycorrhizae after the part of the fungus that penetrates the cell walls of the host roots is known as the arbuscule. This is the more common type of mycorrhiza that most plants develop but it is rarer in deciduous trees, but do occur in some conifers including Thuja, Cypress, Juniper, Redwood, Swamp cypress. Endomycorrhizae are the more primitive mycorrhizae but occur on a wide range of grasses, herbaceous plants and woody species.

The second broad category of mycorrhizae is ectomycorrhizal, the more common mycorrhizae to form with trees. As the name suggests the majority of its structure is outside the cells of the root forming a visible sheath over the surface of the roots with hyphae. Trees may form at least one type, some form both and some, particularly pioneer species, can grow without forming any.

As previously stated the mycorrhizas are formed through a mutually beneficial relationship between the plant roots and the surrounding fungi.

Through this relationship the fungi is supplied with sugars from its plant host. Since fungi do not photosynthesise and most plants do, the plant becomes a vital source of energy for the fungus. In exchange for the sugars, the fungi transfer essential minerals such as nitrogen and phosphorus from decaying organic matter to the plant. They are able to break down substances which plants cannot use unaided, such as cellulose, thus making more nutrients available to the plant. The countless hyphae extending from the plant’s roots also increase the overall area of nutrient and water uptake.

Additionally, as the mycorrhiza coats the surface of the roots they also

protect the tree from drought, predators (such as nematode worms), and pathogens, furthermore, in areas polluted by toxic heavy metals, fungi can buffer their plant partners against harm.

The easiest way to see the effects and the benefits that mycorrhizal associations bring to woodlands is to look at cases where planting has been carried out in heathland habitats. The mycorrhizal system that supports a heathland habitat is fundamentally different to what is required for a woodland. This causes establishment to be delayed until spores of one of the fungi species that form the

...most planting stock used for forestry purposes is devoid of most fungi, requiring most colonisation to occur following planting on site. associations with the tree species colonise the site. This will then form ‘islands’ of growth where individual trees are inoculated and begin to grow well while the others remain stunted. This continues until the hyphae spread throughout the area and colonise the surrounding trees.

Due to the fragile nature of the hyphae that form mycorrhizal associations, soil compaction and disturbance are very damaging for mycorrhiza as parts of the fungi are damaged or severed from the main body limiting nutrients that the fungi can pass onto its host plant. While this damage is unavoidable in actively managed productive woodlands, it can be reduced through the use of low impact management practices and limiting the amount of soil disruption during operations.

Other than soil disruption, the main threat that can suppress or destroy mycorrhizal associations is the over application of certain chemicals

which can occur in intensive agriculture and forestry. For example, the application of large amounts of inorganic fertilisers to young trees can suppress the development of mycorrhizas leading to initial good growth before the growth tapers off abruptly. This has become less of a problem in forestry as the focus has moved to choosing the right tree to fit the ground conditions rather than attempting to improve the ground to suit the desired tree species. This has stopped the over use of chemicals and inorganic fertilisers, limiting them to more targeted essential use which in turn has minimised their effect on the mycorrhizas.

As mycorrhizas have been found to be so crucial to plant health, the practice of inoculating the soil or the roots of the planting stock with fungi at the time of planting is becoming increasingly common in the case of new planting in gardens of new-build houses or where there has been recent landscaping. Inoculation of the roots of newly planted tree seedlings can dramatically increase the success of new plantings in such situations. However, most planting stock used for forestry purposes is devoid of most fungi, requiring most colonisation to occur following planting on site. This is due to the conditions in the nursery situation being for the most part unsuited for the development of mycorrhiza along with the soil disruption that will occur when lifting the plants in the case of bare root stock. Cell grown planting stock will naturally develop some mycorrhiza during its time in the nursery and while there is potential for the inoculation of this type of planting stock, due to the controlled environment they are initially grown in, it is not currently practiced.

In conclusion, mycorrhizal fungi are critical to plant growth, offer a wide range for additional benefits; including protecting trees from harmful pathogens and capturing carbon within the soil; and are increasingly being recognised as an important factor in the management of existing and the establishment of new woodlands. n

Stephen Sweeney 07876 884 908 stephen.sweeney@galbraithgroup.com

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Offices across Scotland & Northern England

Expertise Galbraith operates from 13 offices across Scotland and Northern England bringing our clients a wealth of experience in: • Residential estate agency • Property lettings • Commercial property sales & management • Estate, farm & forestry sales & acquisitions • Estates, farming & land management • Renewables and utilities • Building surveying • Forestry & woodland management

Contacts Athole McKillop athole.mcKillop@galbraithgroup.com 01768 800 830 | 07718 523 045 Russell Porter russell.porter@galbraithgroup.com 01434 405 971 | 07718 523 061 Hamish Robertson hamish.robertson@galbraithgroup.com 01738 456 072 | 07899 877 730 Paul Schofield paul.schofield@galbraithgroup.com 01738 456 064 | 07717 227 417 Stephen Sweeney stephen.sweeney@galbraithgroup.com 01738 456 073 | 07876 884 908 Louise Alexander louise.alexander@galbraithgroup.com 01463 245 381 | 07795 336 070 Heather Coyle heather.coyle@galbraithgroup.com 01463 245 690 | 07825 382 084 James Reid james.reid@galbraithgroup.com 07779 168 898 Kyle Sharpe kyle.sharpe@galbraithgroup.com 01463 224 343 | 07825 064 560 Dr Eleanor Harris eleanor.harris@galbraithgroup.com 07585 900 870