As this is the UN International Year of Forests I was glad to read some positive proposals regarding Scotland’s forests in the Scottish Liberal Democrats manifesto.
This states that Scot Lib Dems will retain public ownership of the country’s forests and not sell them off as others proposed to do. That they will work with others to agree an ambitious forest planting strategy that will increase, each year, the net productive forest cover and support timber industries.
They also propose to use forest waste to generate electricity and, where appropriate, heat for the local community. This means building small scale combined heat and power schemes in the right places for biomass.
In addition, the party proposes to expand timber-framed construction of new buildings by public bodies.
