Why plant trees?

Planting trees and creating woodlands is a long-term investment that benefits:

• your land
• your business
• your community
• Scotland’s economy
• our future climate
• the environment

Benefits for the land

The right tree in the right place can make your land healthier, more productive and more resilient by: 

• reducing erosion and stabilise riverbanks, as roots help hold soil together
• providing habitats for hundreds of species, including birds, mammals, insects and plants 
• providing shelter and shade for your livestock
• improving air quality
• acting like natural filters to keep your land’s water clean
• enriching soil with nutrients
• helping with flood management by slowing down rainfall run-off

Getting started with farm woodlands

Woodlands can open new opportunities for business and provide income from:

• sustainable timber
• wood products and bioenergy
• tourism and recreation

Creating new woodlands can also unlock access to carbon credits. Grant funding is also available to support you in creating and managing woodland on your land. 

Find out how we can support your woodland creation plans

Our woodlands support rural jobs and diversify local economies by providing employment. Over 34,000 people across Scotland are already employed by the forest industry, from forestry management to recreation and tourism.

Woodlands also provide local communities with space for recreation, helping people connect with nature. Research has shown that trees benefit people’s physical and mental health.

Community woodland projects are a great opportunity for people and business to come together and create woodlands in their area. 

Scottish Forestry supports community-driven planting initiatives, empowering local people to improve their natural environment.

Trees are one of our most powerful allies in reaching Net Zero and tackling climate change, as well as for confronting and reversing biodiversity decline.