Inverness, Ross & Skye
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Strategic Plan Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District Strategic Plan 2009-2013 Click here to begin Strategic plan 2009-2013 Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 3 About Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District ........................................................................................6 Section one: strategic context .....................................................................................................13 Context ............................................................................................................................................................14 Strategic priorities for Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District .......................................................16 Forest policy context...................................................................................................................................18 Section two: how Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District contributes to the delivery of the scottish forestry strategy ....................................................................................19 Key theme one: climate change ..............................................................................................................21 Key theme two: timber ..............................................................................................................................25 Key theme three: business development .............................................................................................30 Key theme four: community development .........................................................................................35 Key theme five: access and health..........................................................................................................41 Key theme six: environmental quality ..................................................................................................45 Key theme seven: biodiversity .................................................................................................................49 Section three: delivery and monitoring..................................................................................... 57 Appendices: ................................................................................................................................60 Appendix one: supporting maps ............................................................................................................61 Appendix two: evaluation of achievements (1999-2006) under previous strategic plan ....67 Appendix three: glossary for forest policy context diagram ..........................................................90 Appendix four: local thematic plans, management plans and guidance notes ......................92 Appendix five: portfolio analysis scoring on the national forest estate .....................................93 Using the document This document is principally intended to be read as an online publication and there are several hyperlinks linking readers to the Forestry Commission Scotland website for relevant publications. Please use the Microsoft Word ‘edit: find’ facility to search for specific words. 2 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Strategic plan 2009-2013 - Introduction Introduction We are continuing to protect, manage and expand Scotland’s forest and woodland, which helps in the fight against climate change 3 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District Introduction The Scottish Forestry Strategy was launched in October 2006 as the Scottish Government’s framework for taking forestry forward through the first half of this century and beyond. This strategic plan defines how Forestry Commission Scotland, through its operating arm, Forest Enterprise Scotland, will implement the Scottish Forestry Strategy on that part of the national forest estate in Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District. This is a five-year plan starting in 2009 and finishing in 2013. This strategic plan will also provide direction This plan has been amended to reflect the for implementing a repositioning policy that feedback from a formal consultation process will ensure that the nature and distribution of during 2008. The summarised consultation the national forest estate better reflects its role responses and the Forest Enterprise Scotland and purpose. response are both available on the Forestry Commission Scotland website. 4 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction The strategic plan is divided into three sections: Section one: strategic context Section three: delivery and monitoring This section explains how this strategic plan This section gives an overview of how Inverness, relates to other Forestry Commission Scotland Ross & Skye Forest District will effectively and policies and strategies, taking a lead from the efficiently deliver the strategic plan. It includes Scottish Forestry Strategy and guiding district plans sections on: and activities. • the operating principles that underpin all Forest Enterprise Scotland policies, Section two: how Inverness, Ross & Skye operations and activities Forest District contributes to delivery of • delivery mechanisms, including the Scottish Forestry Strategy repositioning the national forest estate This section describes the context and specific • the monitoring and implementation process actions that will be undertaken on the national forest estate in the district under each of the seven themes of the Scottish Forestry Strategy: Impact on environment and equality The results of environment and equality and • climate change diversity impact assessments of the strategic • business development plan are available on the Forestry Commission • timber Scotland website. • community development • access and health Review • environmental quality A review will take place towards the end of the period of delivery of the plan. If significant changes • biodiversity are made to the Scottish Forestry Strategy we will, if necessary, prepare a new strategic plan. The baseline figures detailed in the monitoring section of this strategic plan will be updated and reported on annually. 5 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction About Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District The district is situated in the Highland Council area Natural environment in the North of Scotland. It extends north from Strathmashie in the heart of the central Highlands Climate to the Isle of Skye off the west coast. It incorporates over 100 different woodlands, which with the There is major variation especially east to west, management of open land and water amounts to with western areas characterised by wet cool a total area of around 82,117 hectares. One main winters with few severe frost episodes, and wet feature of the district is the large variation between warm summers. The Black Isle and the woodlands east and west, with examples of: to the east of the district have a much lower rainfall, but average temperatures are similar. • all the main types of site conditions Strathspey can fall in between as the influence (climate, soil, etc.) of the Cairngorm massif means that summer • all the major forest types and forest temperatures can be the highest in Scotland, management issues but winters are cold. Forests in the west have a comparatively warm and humid climate with • the full range of ways in which people use forests higher rainfall. A feature across the whole district is the relatively high proportion of native woodland and ancient woodland sites. Much of the district carries conservation designations, such as special area of conservation (SAC), and some areas, such as the national nature reserves in Glen Affric, Glenmore and Invereshie & Inshriach, have multiple designations. The east of the district has a good transport infrastructure, with most of the forests lying within the economic haul distance of the existing timber markets, easing crop management decisions. The city of Inverness is also the main population centre in the area. The resident population in the west is relatively low, but tourist numbers can be high. Loch Ness, Skye and Cairngorms National Park are among the most iconic and popular tourist destinations in Scotland, outside of Edinburgh. 6 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction About Inverness, Ross & Skye Forest District Water Geology and landform The Spey, Ness, Beauly, Nairn and Moriston The most prominent geological feature is the catchments dominate the mainland (see Appendix Great Glen fault that runs diagonally across the one) - the Ness system has the greatest volume district from south-west to north-east. Landforms of freshwater in Britain. The rivers in Skye and encompass nearly all the types present in Scotland, Lochalsh tend to be smaller, but are locally from rolling mixed lowland farmland in the east to significant. Many of the rivers and lochs are the west coast fjord-like setting. important for conservation in their own right, The district has some of the finest examples of including several special areas of conservation noteworthy geological features in Scotland. The and one special protection area. Special features entire region is very heavily influenced geologically include the good populations of salmonids and by the effects of glaciations. The district can be split the relatively undisturbed riverside habitats and into the following main types and locations: aquatic species of national significance, such as rare dragonflies,