Everyday actions

Net Zero is a balance. Despite new cleaner technology, cutting emissions out completely is unfeasible. Net Zero is a state of balance which means an equivalent amount of emissions will be sequestered, as are emitted.

The Scottish Government has committed to achieving a Net Zero society by 2045. This is five years ahead of the rest of the UK. 

Over the last century sea levels have risen, temperatures have increased, and rainfall patterns have changed, with more flooding. These changes are projected to continue and intensify over the coming decades. We need to make adjustments to adapt to the impacts, and seize new opportunities now and into the future.

Adapting to climate change is necessary regardless of how much we manage to cut our emissions. Taking early action to adapt will help increase resilience and reduce risks.

Almost 20% of our fleet are electric or hybrid.

We're replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with electric equivalents and have added a further 30 electric vehicles to our fleet this financial year (25/26). To support this, we're installing charging points at many of our sites to support our electric and hybrid fleet. We currently have 119 scattered across our forests. We hope to double this in the next 18 months as we continue towards a greener fleet.

We have buildings of all types across Scotland. From offices to visitor centres, storage units, workshops and more. Upgrading windows, lighting and insulation in these buildings can go a long way to reducing energy waste and make them more efficient to operate. In 2020 we upgraded 10 buildings to modern standards which will help reduce our energy usage and emissions.

Plastic is the one of the biggest symbols of an unsustainable world. Where we can, we’re cutting out plastic for eco-friendly alternatives. In some of our forests, we’re trialling biodegradable tree tubes to protect saplings. In offices and visitor centres we're cutting out single-use plastic in favour of reusable or biodegradable materials. We’ll continue looking for alternatives to reduce our waste.

Like every organisation, we aim to become more efficient. By working with the pioneering CivTech program we've already trialled and introduced new technology to make our work go further.

Programs like Tape4Trees and SilviBio have allowed us to increase the speed we can plant seedlings, Advances like these will help us reduce wastage and become more efficient and effective in our roles.

We have been adapting our forests and land to climate change for many years. As we learn more about how the climate is changing now and in the future, we are increasing this work.

For every land management plan, our teams look at the climate risks for that area. They choose management options that will help keep our forests healthy and resilient in the years ahead. They also look for ways to tackle the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis at the same time.

We have carried out a national climate change risk assessment, so we now have a clearer picture of the risks we face. This is why we are creating an Adaptation Strategy and Adaptation Plan. These will help us reduce risks, build resilience and make the most of new opportunities.