Forestry and Land Scotland has published its business plan for 2023/24 – setting out the year's ambitious business targets, milestones and performance indicators.

The plan makes firm commitments on key business areas such as timber production, woodland creation, and peatland restoration.

It also underlines the ongoing contributions to the Climate Emergency effort, community asset transfers, and improving equality across the organisation.

However, the business plan also acknowledges that there are challenges to be faced in the year ahead, with inflation, high energy prices and rising interest rates all likely to continue putting pressure on public sector budgets.

FLS Chief Executive, Simon Hodgson, said: "FLS is very privileged to have such dedicated and passionate staff whose efforts, combined with those of our contractors and volunteers, help us to punch well-above our weight when it comes to delivering Scottish Government ambitions.


"Over the last couple of years world events and natural events, such as major storms and tree diseases, have required that we develop an agile approach to every aspect of our work.

"That adaptability stands us in good stead as we prepare to respond to ongoing and new challenges, not the least of which will be our drive to seek out new sources of income as part of our drive towards financial sustainability.

"However, I have no doubt that as a team we will pull together to build resilience into our forests, create landscape and community benefits and continue to deliver on our key commitments as we move closer to our vision of forests and land that Scotland can be proud of."

As well as undertaking to market 2.9 million m3 of timber, FLS will create 500 ha of new woodland and increase the total area of peatland with initial restoration action by 1,800 hectares.

FLS also anticipates welcoming over 12 million visitors to its destinations over the course of the next year, including tens of thousands from all over the world for the UCI World Championship event at Glentress in August.