Future forests – protecting woodland from disease and drought in a changing climate

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) is working with Scottish Forestry, Forest Research and Scottish Woodlands to help land managers prepare for the threats to woodland from our changing climate.

SLE member Castlemilk & Corrie Estates in Dumfriesshire is at the forefront of planning for a changing climate and is presenting the results of its extensive species trials to forestry experts and land managers at an event on 25th November, along with a visit to state-of-the-art sawmill and timber processing centre James Jones & Sons in Lockerbie.

Nathan Bryceland, SLE’s Policy Adviser on Woodlands & Biodiversity said: “Woodland creation in Scotland is a key element in achieving national targets for carbon capture and habitat creation, as well as providing sustainable timber and offering beautiful areas for public access for leisure pursuits. 

“But an increasing number of pests and diseases arriving on our shores, and periods of drought, mean that SLE members must plan their forestry not just to be able to produce a sustainable, commercial crop but also to take into account the effects of climate change. Preparing for a changing climate must now be a key element in any long-term forest plan.”

A report by Biggar Economics in 2023 evaluated Scotland’s natural capital resources and found that rural estates contributed 27% of Scotland’s timber production and 63% of Scotland’s carbon sequestration.

Castlemilk & Corrie Estates have around 2,000 ha of forest land including ancient woodlands and productive forestry. The estates harvest approximately 20,000 tonnes of timber per annum as part of a sustainable management plan. 

Castlemilk & Corrie Estates have been conducting trials on a range of conifers for nearly 40 years. This  started in 1987 with the creation of a two hectare sample plot to compare the growth rates between Sitka Spruce sourced from Queen Charlotte Island, and improved Sitka Spruce. In more recent years there have been trials involving French and American seed sourced Douglas Fir. There have also been trials with Tamarack, Japanese Cedar and Lutz Spruce. 

There is also an ongoing trial growing Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock in a 50:50 mix with a view to potentially creating a block of continuous-cover forest. These trials are all designed to determine the best tree species and management techniques to help establish resilient woodlands on the Estate which are more resistant to pests and disease, while also being suitable for commercial timber production. 

Kenny Mackenzie, Woodlands Manager at Castlemilk said: “As a direct result of the work undertaken by previous foresters who sought to create productive forests that were not simply monocultures, the Estate is now benefiting from its history of innovative approaches to forest diversification and is advantageously placed to face the challenges of protecting its woodlands from disease and drought in a changing climate.”

James Jones & Sons is one of the UK’s leading sawmills, with a commitment to innovation. The SLE event on 25th November will also provide a tour of the firm’s £100m sawmill in Lockerbie, which has processed 6 million m3 of sawn timber since opening in 2000 and is a major hub for added-value timber products.

Rob MacKenna of James Jones & Sons said: “We need to work closely across the sector to ensure that we have resilient forests that support a resilient timber processing industry. As a country, we are heavily dependent on imported sawn softwood. It is therefore critical that we collaborate to ensure we are able to maintain and grow our UK sawn timber supply, with all the benefits it provides for local jobs, the wider economy, and carbon sequestration and storage.” 

Also at the event, Scottish Forestry and Forest Research will discuss their Resilience Routemap and Future Productive Species Shortlist.