The Scottish forestry industry produced a record 7.5 million tonnes of wood in 2014, accounting for 57% of all UK soft wood, figures revealed today will show.
Grown in Britain, an initiative to promote UK grown timber and wood products, said the figures were part of an “upward trend” in the UK forestry and timber industry, which employs 40,000 people across the whole of the country generating £1.9billion.
The group included companies like sawmill business BSW Timber which produces a quarter of its 1,000,000 cubic metres output from its Fort William Sawmill alone, the campaigners said.
Today the group, a not-for-profit founded in the wake of the Government-backed “Wood Industry Action Plan”, is launching “Grown in Britain week” as part of its efforts to increase UK timber production and supply.
Dougal Driver, chief executive of Grown in Britain, said:“Grown in Britain is flying the flag for British timber and getting the public to think about where their wood comes from.
“Over 250 thousand hectares and millions of tonnes of licensed Grown in Britain timber is working its way into the marketplace, thanks to the ambitions of UK construction and retailers who are backing homegrown timber and our great British Forests.
“By increasing the demand for British timber destined for use by local people and businesses, real innovation is starting to add value to the supply chains replacing imports and helping many of our woodlands to thrive.”
UK Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss, said: “Managing our woodlands is already generating over 40,000 jobs a year, but there is huge potential for growth from the building site to the furniture show room.
“Grown in Britain is a fantastic initiative which means we can be confident of the local provenance of the wood and furniture we buy and know that it is legal and sustainable.”
The week takes place 12 to 18 October at a variety of events. Last year the Crown Estate, which manages 10,000 hectares of woodland joined forces with the campaign as a licence-holder.