Permissions and permits

We charge for parking at some of our forests. The money you pay goes towards maintaining our visitor facilities including:

• toilets
• visitor buildings
• trail networks
• car parks
• play facilities
• wildlife hides

You’ll find more info about charges and parking passes on the destination pages.

Check out the National Access Forum Outdoor Events Guidance and get in touch with us as soon as you start planning your event, to see if you need permission to hold your event.

Read our short information pack for more information. Do not promote your event until we’ve agreed it can go ahead.

Complete the events enquiry form (Word) and send it to the relevant regional office.

Leave enough time to plan your event. We work towards these minimum event planning times, from the National Access Forum Outdoor Events Guidance:

* includes orienteering, canicross and similar.
** includes triathlon, adventure racing, sled dog racing and similar.

Group outings by club members are not classed as events.

In collaboration with sports governing bodies we have a standard event agreement and process (PDF). Sport-specific information is also available from your governing body.

• view the dog sports appendix (Word) with the Kennel Club
• view the equestrian appendix (Word) with the British Horse Society

We have a standard rate card for all events.

Visitors to our forests and land can fly drones for personal use. Low-impact professional filming and photography is also allowed. You must follow:

• Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC)
• Civil Aviation Authority guidance
• Drone Code
• all other legal requirements

Read our filming factsheet to see if your planned activity is low-impact.

We will consider higher impact drone use for filming and photograph through the filming or photography process.

For any other purpose email the regional office to apply for permission as soon as possible. 

We occasionally have a limited supply of surplus timber. We are looking at opportunities to provide firewood for personal use.

Please email your nearest regional office for more info about availability in your area. 

We manage permission and permits for motorsports events by exclusive agreements with:

• Motorsport UK (PDF)
• Scottish Auto Cycle Union (PDF)

The forest trails are open to everyone under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. We welcome horse riders to our forests. For the best places to ride and car parks to use visit our horse riding page. For more info contact your regional office. We also recommend reading British Horse Society’s responsible riding guidance.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code includes a conditional right of access to land across Scotland to train and exercise dogs. This may include sports like:

• Canicross
• Bikejor
• scootering
• sleds and non-motorised wheeled rigs.

You must behave responsibly at all times. Do not cause problems for wildlife, livestock, visitors or workers.

You should follow the Dog Sports Code (PDF). We developed this with the Kennel Club and agreed it with the National Access Forum. This keeps you and your dogs safe, so you will enjoy your visit and be welcomed back.

Motor vehicles and motorbikes are not allowed in our forests. Some motorsports events are held according to the policy and agreements above. Contact your regional office for more info.

Send all news requests to media@forestryandland.gov.scot.

You don’t need to contact us for low-impact filming and photography.

This is allowed under your right of responsible access, as long as you:

• take the forest as you find it
• make sure you do not impact on other people’s enjoyment
• do not disturb forest operations or the environment
• do not require motorised vehicle access

We’re always interested to know when filming has taken place on our land. Tag us when you share your work. You can also send us a completed filming notification form afterwards.

You need our permission for filming and photography when there is:

• higher impact
• vehicle access
• our support needed

You should fill out and send a Filming Request form. Most of the time you will be charged a fee. Expect it to take at least six weeks to respond to your request.

Metal detecting and gold panning are not allowed in our forests and land. We sometimes allow metal detecting for an archaeological project agreed in advance. This is to ensure that:

• the work takes place in agreed locations to agreed standards
• the finder does not claim any right to reward for any discoveries in our forests and land
• an agreement is in place in respect to the costs of any artefact conservation that may be required

More information is available in our metal detecting guidance note (PDF).

You can place geocaches on our land. You must follow the conditions and guidance from the Geocaching Association of Great Britain. 

Do not leave memorials in the forest. This is to respect the features that other visitors enjoy about our forests.

Scattering ashes

Ask for advice from your regional office before scattering ashes. This helps us protect rare plants and wildlife.

Flowers

Please choose a quiet spot away from other visitors. Make sure they are real flowers that will decompose into the soil. Make sure you remove all containers and wrappers. Remember to leave no trace.

Memorial benches

We cannot put memorial benches in our forests.

Make a donation towards a project

You might want to make a contribution for a loved one to one of our projects. These vary from site to site but may include:

• tree planting
• improving a view
• making visitor facilities better

We cannot put your or your loved one’s name to the project.

Contact your regional office for more info.

You will need to think about the size of your wedding.

For small weddings

This could fall under your right of responsible access under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. You should:

• take the forest as you find it
• make sure you do not impact on other people’s enjoyment
• do not disturb forest operations or the environment
• look at the checklist in our short information pack and think whether this would suit your wedding plans

If you choose to do this, you can’t book your location. We recommend you contact the relevant regional office and check the webpage for your chosen site beforehand, for more information about closures, events and scheduled work.

For larger ceremonies or receptions

This might involve, for example, marquees, toilets and a booked location. You will need to apply for a permit as soon as possible with our Weddings/Functions Enquiry Form.

You should also read the National Access Forum’s guidance on holding an outdoor event. This includes advice on numbers, planning times and more. For official information on getting married in Scotland, please visit the mygov.scot website.

For all weddings or functions

If you’re having professional photos taken please check the filming guidance above. You might need a wedding photography permit. If so, you will need to contact the regional office at least 6 weeks ahead to apply. You may also need to pay a photography fee.

For anything else, fill out and send a General Enquiry Form (PDF) to the relevant regional office.