CONFOR MOBILISES SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING

The Scottish Executive has agreed to invest an additional £6 million into the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme in this financial year.
This is in response to a widely based industry campaign mobilised by ConFor following the early closure of the SFGS in April.

The announcement was made prior to a meeting that ConFor had sought with the Environment Minister Ross Finnie and the forestry Minister Rhona Brankin, at which representatives of the industry and the Woodland Trust were invited to participate.

Tony Willis, Chairman of ConFor, welcomed the funding: "We are delighted the Minister has listened to our concerns and increased funding for the grants scheme. The additional money reinforces the Scottish Executive's commitment to an industry experiencing renewed confidence, increased investment and improved job creation, especially in Scotland's rural communities."
He went on to say:"When we realised the significance of the closure we asked our members to write to MSPs and to the Ministers highlighting the issue and explaining the impacts of the closure to their businesses. Along with our direct lobbying this effort has created the climate in which Forestry Commission Scotland has been able to bid successfully for an additional £6 million. Throughout the campaign we have been delighted by the support we received from a range of organisations, including the Woodland Trust".

The SFGS is managed by the Forestry Commission which brought forward its planned closure from August to April.
This was in response to a major surge in applications which meant the scheme was oversubscribed and its £26 million budget unable to satisfy demand.

Information on SFGS can be found at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland
For further information contact: Frank Sullivan Tel: 01786 473289 or 07718 660122 Email: frank.sullivan@btconnect.com