Upscaling Plan for the Scottish Demo Forest

The demo area aims to enhance ecosystem function and resilience through three primary
restoration strategies:

1. High Elevation Woodland (HEP): Planting native broadleaf species above the current treeline to 
mitigate risks associated with climate change impacts like landslides.

2. Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF): Implementing selective thinning to maintain a multi-layered 
forest structure, thereby improving biodiversity and reducing the ecological footprint of timber 
harvesting.

3. Riparian Woodland and Natural Flood Management (NFM): Enhancing riparian biodiversity and 
implementing NFM techniques to reduce flooding risks for local communities.

These strategies align with broader policy requirements and address current environmental 
challenges while promoting sustainable land management practices and underlie this upscaling plan.

Barriers and Enablers to Upscaling Restoration
The report identifies various barriers to scaling up restoration efforts, including political, 
economic, social, technical, legal, and environmental dimensions. Key challenges include limited 
policy recognition of restoration benefits, high costs associated with restoration activities, and 
a lack of established market instruments for ecosystem services beyond timber. Conversely, enablers 
such as political champions for restoration, community engagement, and emerging financing 
opportunities are crucial for overcoming these barriers.

Stakeholder Engagement and Governance
Effective stakeholder engagement is vital for the success of the SUPERB project. The initial 
stakeholder mapping identified 82 key actors, including regional governments, financing bodies, 
private landowners, and local communities. The involvement of these stakeholders is essential to 
ensure that restoration practices are aligned with community needs and ecological goals. The 
governance framework is underpinned by existing Scottish and UK forestry laws, which promote 
sustainable management practices.

Financial Mechanisms for Restoration
Financing is a critical component for the upscaling of restoration activities. Current funding 
mechanisms include government grants, carbon credits, and biodiversity net gain initiatives. The 
report emphasizes the need for innovative financial models to bridge the anticipated funding gap 
for woodland creation and management, which is projected to reach £1.8 billion
by 2032.

Knowledge Gaps and Technical Considerations
The document highlights knowledge gaps in the scientific, technical, and practical aspects of the 
identified restoration strategies. Addressing these gaps through research and practical trials will 
enhance the understanding of effective restoration practices and facilitate wider application 
across Scotland.

Recommendations for Future Actions
To effectively scale up restoration efforts, this document identifies some high priority barriers 
(see the Recommendations table) and suggests possible enabling actions, among which:
  •  Increasing community engagement to advocate for nature-based solutions.
  •  Encourage private/public partnerships, using demos to show feasibility and range of benefits
  •  Addressing the financial, environmental, social and cultural dimensions of herbivore control
  •  Enhancing training and education for stakeholders involved in restoration activities
  •  New approaches to restore the upper tree line where focus is shifted to the tree/shrub characteristics rather than the provenance alone.

By addressing these recommendations, the Scottish demo area can serve as a model for forest 
restoration practices that contribute to ecological resilience and community well-being across 
Scotland and beyond.