Thread by @Common_Weal

Let’s talk *𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢*

Scotland has the most concentrated pattern of land ownership in the developed world, with only 450 landowners owning half of the private land in the country, preventing new industries & stifling innovation.

This needs to change. 👇

Land is essential to Scotland’s response to the climate crisis, but the current approach is simply failing to deliver what Scotland needs.

This transition should benefit everyone, not a small number at the expense of the rest. To do this we need to diversify land ownership. /2

So what’s wrong with the way we do land now? 🤔

⛰ Hill farming
🦌 Deer stalking
🐦 Grouse shooting

…not to mention the undemocratic distribution of ownership & the impact this has on rural employment opportunities. But let’s focus on the direct environmental impacts first. /3

🐦 Grouse shooting

The intensive management of grouse moors is terrible for biodiversity (the persecution of birds of prey is widespread) and carbon sequestering and its productivity is poor – virtually any other use for this land is more productive. /4

🦌 Deer stalking

Managing land for deer stalking encourages managers to maximise the population of deer. This is extremely damaging as deer graze any new growth in woodland wiping out natural regeneration and causing the long-term death of forests. /5

⛰ Hill farming

Like deer, sheep are close grazers & prevent most plant life from regenerating, which is why so much of upland Scotland is dominated by bare land. This is not a suitable habitat for many types of wildlife (nor can it act as a carbon sink). /6

🌲 Forestry Potential 🌲

Scotland has almost the lowest level of forest cover in Europe, yet our variety of growing conditions means we are the perfect place to expand forestry: the north is similar to the Nordics, the south like continental Europe, the west an oceanic zone. /7

If we want a sustainable, profitable & beautiful approach to forestry on Scotland's land, we need to consider timber production, mixed native woodland planting for potential cropping & biodiversity, wildlife, & protection of river habitats. /8

Meanwhile, Scotland produces less than 20 per cent of the construction materials it uses, importing the rest, and while we have a comparatively large timber processing sector in relation to our current forestry, it is small in relation to our potential. /9

To achieve a diverse ownership pattern in the long term it will be necessary to take an interventionist approach in the short term…

1️⃣ Land taxes to incentivise productivity or sales
2️⃣ ‘Right to buy’ to develop local communities

/10

3️⃣ Increase estate regulations to ensure they are following high-quality land management practices
4️⃣ Banning private land sales & requiring land sales to be publicly advertised
5️⃣ in the timescales needed to respond to the climate emergency we must use compulsory purchases

/11

Land is a crucial national resource which must be managed in the national interest. A planning and zoning regime must be introduced, designating areas for specific purposes and requiring the land use in these areas to be developed on the basis of these specific purposes. /12

This requires planning (what do we do with the land once ownership is diversified)…

Considering the forestry potential outlined earlier, some of this land could be broken up into Nordic-sized forestry plots or crofts for smallholders. /13

A target of 50% of Scotland's land area being reforested may well be one of the best contributions we can make to tackling global climate change. BUT if timescales for climate change are to be taken seriously, public planting must begin NOW. /14

To take on the environmental and social challenges Scotland faces we urgently need a national effort to plan our future. It is important that we act to meet our needs & this is done with the support of the communities which live on this land. /15

To make #LandReform happen we need a National Land Agency to oversee the land planning and to actively restore and manage the land.

It would implement a proper reporting mechanism from private landowners & monitor performance, gather data & provide a centre of learning. /16

#LandReform is directly related to workers as proper management of land will involve three main elements; investment, supply chain & workforce. There needs to be a supply chain to enable reforesting & training to increase the supply of a workforce with land management skills. /17

The Common Home Plan, therefore, creates 20,000 new jobs in land & forestry alone & with £10bn investment needed over 25 years, the economy of rural areas will see a substantial boost.

#LandReform is good for the planet, good for business & good for communities. /18

This does not happen by itself; currently land is often intensively managed to keep it barren, from now on it must be intensively managed to bring it back to life.

Share our fully-costed #GreenNewDeal for Scotland and we *can* make #LandReform happen ➡️ commonweal.scot/policies/the-c…