In 2022/23, nearly 13,000 hectares of new woodland were created in the UK – with Scotland accounting for 8,200 worth of this. Scotland now consists of over 1,490,000 hectares of woodland area.
The SNP Government has taken a number of steps to help meet Scotland’s ambitious target of planting 36 million new trees each year - including the introduction of a £150 million fund to support planting targets and tree nurseries.
The SNP has welcomed these figures and highlighted the important role forests play in our climate change ambitions.
Commenting, SNP MSP Stuart McMillan said:
“Scotland’s forests absorb almost 10% of our gross greenhouse gas emissions – they play a vital role in our journey towards meeting our ambitious climate targets.
“Climate change and nature loss are the greatest global threats we face. We can and must start to reverse these threats. Planting more trees, and sustainably managing our forests is one part of the global solution.
“The SNP Government is taking real action to reverse climate change – and we will continue to support any measures which protect our planet.”