Mark Ruskell, MSP, celebrates Trust woodland work

Mark Ruskell highlights the work of the Trust in contribution to Scottish Parliament debate on the role of forestry in meeting net zero.

The MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife - Mark Ruskell - has highlighted the John Muir Trust's work to restore native woodland in highland Perthshire in a recent parliamentary debate about forestry’s contribution to a net zero Scotland. The Scottish Parliament debate took place on 9 November 2022. Full details of the meeting can be read here. 

Before speaking about the John Muir Trust, Mr Ruskell stated: "it is clear that the sharp impact of the climate and nature emergencies is reminding us every day that the window for action is closing.

Mr Ruskell visited Schiehallion earlier this year to officially open the Foss Loop path.

"As a regional MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, I know that communities and third sector organisations are at the heart of our efforts to restore, protect and expand woodlands. For example, the Heart of Scotland Forest Partnership in highland Perthshire is a wonderful blueprint for how partnerships can protect and expand native woodlands while creating public access for those of all abilities and delivering skills and economic opportunities for young people.

"I was delighted to be invited by the John Muir Trust to officially open its Foss Loop path, under Schiehallion, in the summer. It is a beautiful walk-and-wheel route that helps to tell a Perthshire story of woodland regeneration and renewal. The Woodland Trust’s newly funded Forth climate forest is also worth highlighting. It is a 10-year landscape-scale project that harnesses communities’ enthusiasm for tree planting, and it is set to deliver a similar range of objectives around wellbeing, climate and ecological benefits.

"At the heart of those projects is a balanced approach to tree planting that takes careful consideration of our precious soil carbon and delivers a diverse mix of woodland cover, with a focus on native species. It is worth reflecting that half the carbon in our woodlands is actually below the ground, so we need to manage woodlands and their soils as a long-term, nature-rich carbon sink, and avoid the costly mistakes of the past, such as when deep peatlands were planted with commercial forestry - a point that was well made by Fiona Hyslop in relation to her recent visit to the Arctic Circle assembly.

"There is also a need to proactively tackle threats from overgrazing, muirburn, invasive species and plant diseases, which could undermine the role of woodlands in meeting net zero. Again, I highlight the work of the John Muir Trust: it has been working in Perthshire to progress its montane woodland project to restore native specialist tree species such as juniper and montane willows as well as oak and pines, which have long been threatened by overgrazing and muirburn practices. It is vital that we protect tree planting, woodland generation and peatland restoration from further damage if we are to meet our climate and nature commitments.

"Delivering on the deer management group’s recommendations to prevent overgrazing and the trampling of young trees is vital to achieving those efforts, but that point has not yet been mentioned in the debate. Is it the elephant in the room? I do not know, but we have to tackle the issue of deer management in order to make progress."

A stock fence at Schiehallion - erected to protect the regenerating woodland from browsing by sheep and deer

The Trust's Senior Policy Officer, Rosie Simpson, said:

"The Trust is in agreement with Mark that sustainable deer management is a big piece in the woodland regeneration puzzle for Scotland. We continue, in partnership with other Scottish Environment LINK members, to ask the Scottish Government to implement its independent deer working group recommendations.

"Given the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the second best time is now (to quote Brian Whittle MSP’s quote of the Chinese proverb during the debate) we have to reduce deer density and numbers if we are to give enough young trees a chance to grow into maturity and make a difference during the lifetime of young people in the UK now."