Scotland's national forests have been hailed as being among the most sustainable in the world after receiving an international "green" stamp of approval for the second time.
Forestry Commission Scotland has been re-certified as measuring up to the demanding standards of the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS), confirming that the country's public woods are being managed sustainably.
This means that wood and other products from the forests can display the logo of the international Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as an assurance to buyers that the wood has come from well managed, sustainable forests. Construction timber, signs, outdoor furniture and fencing, panelboards, paper and venison are among the FSC-certified goods produced from national forests across Scotland.

The award is a special honour for the Commission's Scotland Director, Dr Bob McIntosh, and his 1000 staff around Scotland. Dr McIntosh explained,
Five years ago the Forestry Commission was the first state forest service in the world to be awarded UKWAS certification and the right for its products to display the FSC logo, so we were keen to ensure that we would pass the re-inspection when our certification came up for renewal this year.
"The standards are tough - forest certification is not just about whether we plant enough new trees to replace the ones we harvest. It's about sustainability in its widest sense of looking after the whole forest environment so that future generations will enjoy it as much as we do.
"It's about how well our forestry practices protect the soil, rivers and lochs; how well we look after the wildlife and historic places in our forests; how closely we involve communities in making decisions about the future of their local forests; how well we minimise the use of chemicals in the forests; how well we welcome and cater for visitors to the forests; and a whole range of other considerations.
"It's a delicate balancing act, especially in areas where national forests are heavily used by visitors and are also important for protecting vulnerable wildlife, such as capercaillie and red squirrels, while still producing timber and supporting local jobs. So it's a real feather in the cap for the Commission's staff - and the contractors who work in the forests - that we passed the test again, and we look forward to continuing to provide sustainable forest management for the benefit of the people of Scotland and visitors."
Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the Scottish Executive's forestry department. It manages 656,000 hectares of national forest lands, is the largest provider of public access and recreation in Scotland, is the largest producer of wood, and manages many Sites of Special Scientific Interest and ancient and historic monuments. National forests comprise about 35 per cent of Scotland's total forest area of 1.3 million hectares. For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland or contact the Commission's public enquiry hotline, 0845 FORESTS (0845 367 3787).