Update On The Forestry And Land Management (Scotland) Bill

This is the latest in a series of blogs in which we follow the progress of the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Bill. You can read our previous updates here.

The Bill was debated at Stage 2 on the 6th and 13th of December 2017 where over 130 amendments were made. You can view the amended Bill here.

The amendments at Stage 2 have been well received in the industry and the politicians' pragmatic approach to the Bill, and manner in which they have listened to the views of experts, has been praised.

Among the amendments, the new Bill:

Inserts an obligation on Scottish Ministers to appoint a Chief Forester to advise them, recognising the need for forestry expertise at a top level. Widens the scope of the definition of 'felling'. Where previously, the Bill provided that felling 'means intentionally killing trees', it now reads 'includes intentionally killing trees' so that felling now includes its ordinary meaning and...