Frustration. If a single word could sum up the feelings of the overwhelming majority of Scotland's forestry professionals it would be this.

They can see tremendous opportunities for the sector. They are aware of multiple environmental crises looming large, the answer to each of which would appear to be planting, managing and doing more with trees.

They are ready and willing to do all that's necessary to transform our landscape and make Scotland a true 'forest nation'.

Yet at nearly every turn they find themselves stymied by red tape, mixed messaging and a lack of support. And it really shouldn't be this way.

John McNee, editor of Forestry Journal. (Image: Forestry Journal) The question of what better forestry should look like has prompted much debate and generated some ideas that are well worth pursuing, but it has also generated a lot of conflict, with different interest groups becoming deeply entrenched in their own views about how Scotland's forests should be designed and what they should be trying to achieve.

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