Aims:

• Economic Viability: Maintain a regular and positive income from the forest resource as a whole
• Quality: Produce sustainable and quality timber products.
• Resilience: Restructure and build woodland resilience to climate change through addressing skewed age class and diversifying species composition.
• Biodiversity: Maintain and enhance wildlife habitats
• Community: Maintain low key access throughout suitable areas of the estate woodlands.
• Training: Incorporate staff development and training programme

Objectives:

• Fulfil all legal and contractual obligations committed to within the plan period.
• Grow and regularly harvest quality woodland products.
• Manage the woodlands in accordance with the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS) and The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)
• Address the skewed age-class of the commercial woodlands.
• Explore opportunities for new areas of planting.
• Diversify the species composition slightly away from Scots Pine dominance.
• Explore different CCF/LISS management options to restructure woodlands where NR has been traditionally practiced but not had productive results. Alongside Clear-felling and restocking where appropriate.
• Maintain native pinewood areas. Continue NR in Lamahip.
• Continue NR in Scots pine compartments where NR has had success.
• Maintain character of landscape retention smaller woodlands.
• Deer control – improve deer lawns and forest tracks, renew our fencing strategy, initiate a bracken management plan.
• Fire control- Update fire control plans, Cooperation with Birse Parish Deer Management Group, create and/or revive firebreaks in woodland.
• Explore opportunities in biosecurity and climate mitigation e.g tree nursery.