Chamber and committees

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take a landscape level approach to land management, endeavouring to manage the land under its care with regard to a number of risks, including wildfire. This is focused primarily on employment of best practice in land management planning, wildfire prevention and wildfire suppression operations. Management of rides and roadsides through mowing and flailing does take place on parts of Scotland’s national forests and land where required e.g. some mature forests and new woodland creation sites. This work is undertaken to meet a number of objectives, including access management, conservation, wildlife management and safety.

Analysis of recent wildfires, prevention and control methods is an ongoing subject of joint working between FLS and other partners within the Scottish Wildfire Forum led by the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS). At a national level FLS is working on a number of items related to wildfire management on Scotland’s national forests and land. This has included a joint SFRS and FLS wildfire scenario exercise and discussions regarding communications, wildfire danger assessments, fire plans, fire mapping and recording and data sharing. Working with SFRS, FLS is committed to seek out and follow developments in wildfire management practice. An output of wildfire research within the forestry sector is the practice guide titled ‘Building Wildfire Resilience into Forest Management Planning’ which FLS staff use as guidance in their land management decision making.