ACCESS CREATION FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT (Tier 2)
Article 20(b)(v)
Measure Code (125)
Rationale for Intervention
Sustainable forest management is a key principle underpinning the economic, environmental and social objectives of the Scottish Forestry Strategy 2006. Adequate access to forest stands is an essential requirement in such management. Early thinning interventions in woodlands offer significant biodiversity and amenity benefits and improves the future economic potential of the standing crop. However, early interventions themselves are usually loss-making and are impeded by lack of road access. Public support can increase the sustainable flow of public benefit from the woodland. The intervention rate and limits recognise the balance between public and private benefit flows.
Objectives
This measure supports the creation of new access routes into isolated woodlands and the development of an internal access infrastructure, to enable thinning and continuous silvicultural operations to take place and improve the quality of timber growing stock and also yield environmental benefits. These tracks will also result in additional routes through which public access will be enhanced.
Scope and actions
The measure will be available to potential beneficiaries with a forest holding of greater than 1 hectare that requires the construction of external and/or internal access routes in order to extract timber from otherwise isolated stands that will benefit from silvicultural thinning. The roads should be built to a standard capable of taking heavy goods vehicles. They should be maintained as part of the forest road network and be fully restored after harvesting activity. Road building activity should conform to the requirements of the UK Forestry Standard.
Definition of beneficiaries
The financial beneficiaries are the private owners or occupiers of forested land (or associations thereof).
Level of support
Support will be limited to a maximum of £2,000/year at a standard cost of £40/metre.
Transition arrangements
None