Scottish Woodlands at heart of industry debate once more
Scottish Woodlands will again be at the heart of discussions about the big issues affecting the forestry and wood industry at a policy conference at Westminster on 20th November.
Investment and Business Development Director David Robertson and Forest Manager Isla Campbell will both speak at Timber in Construction: From Roadmap to Reality at the QEII Centre at Westminster.
The event is the annual policy conference hosted by industry body Confor, which brings together industry leaders, policy-makers, forestry agencies, and a wide range of other groups, to discuss the major challenges and opportunities facing the sector. Scottish Woodlands is one of the event sponsors.
The Timber in Construction Roadmap was signed off by Mary Creagh MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature - whose brief covers forestry - earlier this year. The event examines how to turn the aspirations of the roadmap into real progress in using much more timber in UK construction, and how to provide the raw material to do that.
Mary Creagh MP is the keynote speaker and will be followed by a range of contributors looking at the practicalities of making the roadmap work, and some of the potential barriers. Isla Campbell, a Forest Manager based in Scottish Woodlands' Dingwall office, will take part in a panel called Skills and Future Timber Supply: Finding the people to make it happen.
Isla Campbell, Scottish Woodlands Ltd
The Roadmap identifies the skills challenges ahead, and the panel will discuss range of initiatives - including the creation of Forestry Training Service UK, the 2025-2035 Sector Skills Plan for Forestry, bringing military veterans into the industry - and attracting new entrants through short courses, including one at the Scottish School of Forestry supported by Scottish Woodlands Ltd.
David Robertson will join a panel that looks at Barriers to Investment. The panel will debate how to ensure conditions are right for investors to support the significant rise in tree planting needed to deliver the long-term timber supply the UK requires to build new homes, support rural economies and help tackle climate change.
Ian Robinson, Managing Director of Scottish Woodlands Ltd, said: "These conferences, and the conversations that take place, both on and off stage, are crucial to the future of our industry. It's vital for Scottish Woodlands Ltd to be at the heart of debates on future timber supply, skills challenges and barriers to investment. Getting together and talking through these issues openly with all the organisations involved in shaping the future, is the only way to develop creative and long-term approaches.”
"If we can get this right, and create much more woodland and produce much more timber, the UK's environment and economy will benefit in a wide range of very significant ways. I look forward to the event and I know Dave and Isla will represent the company very well."
If you would like to attend the event, please do through the Confor booking page here