Leading Galloway forester says more home grown timber vital in efforts to cut imports and support jobs
dailyrecord.co.ukA leading Galloway forester has stepped into the debate over the upsurge in commercial tree planting in the province. John Paterson, whose forestry industry career spans more than 30 years, spoke out amid concerns that too much land is being turned over to timber production.
Mr Paterson, from Dalry, has built a new home a stone’s throw from where he grew up at Barskeoch using locally-sourced wood such as larch and oak.
And he believes increasing Scotland and the UK’s home-grown timber resource is critical to cutting imports and supporting forestry sector jobs.
He said: “Every Galloway News reader will have wood products – doors, furniture, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, flooring, perhaps even the very structure of their home. “Around nine in 10 new homes in Scotland are now built from timber frames. “And those who have a garden are likely to have fencing, a garden shed, and possibly a deck also made out of wood. “The trouble is the UK imports 81 per cent of the wood it uses, making it the third largest importer of wood in the world after China and the United States. “We need to grow much more – because before too long there won’t be enough wood to go around. “Estimates say global timber demand will quadruple between 2020 and 2050. “That’s because there’s a desire to use more timber in construction, and less concrete, brick and block, and steel, to lessen environmental impacts.” According to Mr Paterson, a good reason for growing more trees is that it creates and supports local jobs, and helps offset climate change impacts.
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