When is a Woodland a Forest

Have been clearing out old e mails and I found this one which might be of use. It was raised by a planning officer who was looking for guidance on planning matters in our woodland. Recently Kevin McLeod of Grand Designs has been building an off-grid hut in a piece of woodland in England. He put wheels on it to make it a moveable structure to get round the planning regulations.

In some cases the planning law is an ass. In other cases it protects the environment. It is always hard to put common sense into a legal document IMHO but maybe it is time for Scotland to reform its planning legislation for trees and woodland.

 

Here is the e mail correspondance which was dated late 2011.

 

Dear Sir/madam,

I am trying to resolve an issue which depends upon the difference between a woodland or a forest.

Under the Town And Country Planning (General Permitted Development Procedure)(Scotland) Order 1992, there are certain permitted development rights given to forestry buildings and operations. Unfortunately no definition of forestry is given. I need to know whether or not these rights also apply to woodland management. Therefore I need to know if there is a distinct difference between forestry and woodland management?

I hope that you can assist

regards

Kingsley

I refer to your query below. There are no formal definitions of "forestry" and "woodland" in use, but, for all intents and purposes, Forestry Commission Scotland does not distinguish between "forestry" and "woodland management". Both are eligible for grants under our funding systems and both are regulated through our grants and licences system.

I refer to the recent publication by FCS/Scottish Government "The Right Tree in the Right Place - Planning for Forestry and Woodlands" (http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcfc129.pdf/$FILE/fcfc129.pdf), the introduction to which notes that: "This guidance therefore uses the term 'woodlands' throughout to refer to all areas of land, larger than 0.25 hectares, where trees are growing. ... The term 'forestry' is used to refer to the science, art and practice of managing 'woodlands' on a professional and sustainable basis to ensure that their economic, social and environmental benefits to society are optimised."

I hope that this is helpful. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance

Regards

Neil

Neil Langhorn

Land Use Planning Advisor

Forestry Commission Scotland

Silvan House

231 Corstorphine Road

Edinburgh

EH12 7AT

0131 314 6529

07879 232 669