The Economic and Social Benefits of Native Woods

Summary Description:

The project will work with 4 Scottish community woodland groups who own or manage native woodlands to develop a suite of case studies which identify and showcase the economic and social benefits delivered by current and planned management operations.

In addition to highlighting the specific benefits of native woodlands for their respective communities, the project is intended to:

• facilitate greater awareness of the potential economic and social benefits of native woodland management;
• increase understanding of the role and value of community woodlands amongst decision-makers across a wide range of agendas;
• provide effective promotional tools for the community woodland sector, increasing individuals’ awareness of the value of both woodlands and community ownership.

Project Outcomes:

This project resulted in 3 main outputs:

1. A series of 4 case studies designed and written for online publication: available to view online at

 https://www.communitywoods.org/native-woods-project

2. A series of 5 films available at

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1VN8uoROLmTGrbXS31pXzJ4sm7iPGYLw

The recording of the online webinar which concluded the project is also at the above link.

3. A more technical research report is at the time of writing in final editing and will be placed on the CWA website at the above location in due course and also emailed direct to funders.

How have the results been used?

Case studies are available via the CWA website with the films and a full recording of the online event on our YouTube channel. Results and the event were promoted through our social media channels and that of partners notably the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest who are also promoting the project and the work through their March newsletter.

Staff prepared an article on the project that went in to the CWA Spring 2023 eNewsletter circulated to 200 CWA members and stakeholders.

The individual community groups are using films and case studies on their websites and social media channels and reference has been made to the project to partners in the National Forestry Stakeholder group with material going direct to members of the group notably including Scottish Forestry.