Christmas has presented us with the Independent Panel on Forestry's progress report. It is good to see that they recognise that "the long term financial viability of forestry enterprises is crucial". Encouraging though this is, we have read before ofvisions for a profitable, vibrant future for forestry, but the economic leg has usually come a distant third behind recreation and the environment, in reality. With government incentives for more timber use beginning to strengthen demand, there does, atlast, appear to be a realisation that more productive forests are needed. With a promising future for wood, what has this done to the market for woodlands? As large waves of recessionary woes hit the economy and the euro debt crisis rumbles along in thebackground, woodland sales have been buoyant. In England and Wales, they have continued apace with an increased number of sales being agreed in the last three months, many of which have been well in excess of guide price. The Scottish market, with its greater focus on commercial-scale conifer forests, has shown remarkable vigour. Investing in woodlands is obviously still seen to be an excellent prospect, especially where there is standing timber to underpin the value. Earlier in the year, we felt that sales might get more difficult and there was a small amount of evidence to that effect Reality has shown continued strength in the sales volume and in prices agreed.
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