Think "wood first" to help save planet We need Westminster to follow our lead and plant modern woodlands that complement the landscape, says Stuart Goodall FORESTRY has always had an issue with the short-termism of politics. A sector that measures business planning in decades can struggle to align its aspirations with the inevitable cyclical and "quick-fix" nature of the political process. And it is always challenging to have your particular voice heard as every sector and interest group seeks to promote its particular message. As forestry is already an area of devolved power to Holyrood, it could be asked why the Scottish forestry and wood sector should care much about the May 2015 Westminster election. The answer is that England is the biggest market for Scottish wood exports. There is also significant cross-Border trade in harvested wood as sawmills on either side seek the raw material they require to survive and hopefully thrive. In the past, lobbying in Westminster has been frustrating as governments there, unlike at Holyrood, have just not grasped the basic principle that managing woodland and producing wood products is both good for the environment and the economy. Thankfully, the forestry sector is better placed than ever before to persuade London-based politicians of its enormous value and this could have significant benefits for Scotland. Established after the abortive plan to sell England's publicly-owned woodland, the Independent Panel on Forestry (IPF) report in July 2012 was a landmark event as it concluded that the public desire to protect woodlands and to realise their economic value were not mutually exclusive; both relied on active management to create income and to respond to threats from a changing climate. Building on this, Confor, in its document Forestry: Delivering Green Growth, sets out why and how a future UK government can realise the potential of the sector both north and south of the Border. The document begins with a simple question and answer: Q: What industry can deliver economic growth, new jobs and low-carbon housing, reduce imports and help save the planet? A: Forestry and wood It then sets out what needs to be done. Government wants to decarbonise construction and a simple way is to think "Wood First." Wood is by far the best building material for the environment; a tonne of brick requires more than four times the energy to produce than a tonne of sawn softwood, concrete requires five times more energy and steel 24 times more. Wood's thermal insulation properties are also far greater. Acting on a "Wood First" principle will boost market demand, especially if construction firms also choose home-grown wood - something that many of them are increasingly interested in doing. Delivering Green Growth calls for "Wood First" policies to be used for all public building projects (new build and refurbishment) and for the government to support the use of domestic timber, including backing the new "Grown in Britain" campaign. Stimulating demand for home-grown wood can then help tackle another key ask in the document - bringing more woodland into active management. In England, close to 50 per cent of woodlands are not actively managed and cannot deliver their economic, environmental and social potential - the figure is lower in Scotland. To unlock those benefits, the support system and regulation needs to be targeted at securing long-term, active management - encouraging sustainable forestry practice, not short-term political wins that quickly fade. There is great potential to reduce bureaucracy while maintaining the highest professional standards. Indeed the greater threat to woodland is not bad management - it is no management. The last of the three asks is for more planting of productive woodland - to supply the raw material of the future. Southern Scotland and northern England is a focus for much of the sector, one that now provides employment for thousands who live in the area. We in Scotland need Westminster to follow our lead and plant modern, well-designed, productive woodlands that complement the landscape. These woodlands are an opportunity for farmers who are struggling to manage their land economically. Once established, the woodlands do not require ongoing subsidy through CAP and they can also provide shelter for livestock, improving production and benefiting animal welfare. Scotland gets the message - there was great engagement at our conference in Edinburgh earlier this year from all parties, who understand productive forestry creates income to deliver an unmatched range of benefits. Politicians in Scotland know that a coherent policy framework which encourages more active forest management, enhances productive planting and stimulates markets for wood can deliver a positive future - creating a virtuous cycle of economic and environmental benefit. Let's hope UK politicians get the message too. Stuart Goodall is chief executive of Confor, which promotes forestry and wood, and represents almost 2,000 forestry and wood-using businesses