Policy conference: From Trees To Timber Homes

Forestry in Scotland: From Trees to Timber Homes will include a range of businesses, industry experts and a keynote address from Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy, Fergus Ewing, as well as a political panel.

The conference, at the Royal Society of Edinburgh in George Street, on Wednesday 27th September, is sponsored by Wood for Good and chaired by writer, broadcaster and tree lover Muriel Gray.  

Christiane Lellig, Campaign Director of Wood for Good, will lead the second session of the event, which focuses on the practical opportunities and challenges of building with more Scottish timber. Calum Murray of CCG Scotland, Neil Sutherland (Makar Homes), Max Garcia (Carbon Dynamic) and Stewart Dalgarno (Stewart Milne Timber Systems) will also speak during this session. 

This will be preceded by a session setting the context for the event, with Fergus Ewing followed by Professor Davy McCracken of SRUC, Confor CEO Stuart Goodall and Robert Hairstans of Edinburgh Napier University. 

The event will end with a cross-party political discussion on how to support Scotland's £1 billion forestry and timber industry. Participants are: Peter Chapman MSP (Conservative); John Finnie MSP (Green); Rhoda Grant MSP (Labour); Gail Ross MSP (SNP) and Mike Rumbles MSP (Lib Dem). 

Stuart Goodall, Confor CEO, said: "Scotland has an ambition to use more wood in buildings and to expand its forestry sector. This conference pulls those strands together, exploring how we can lock up carbon and create attractive, high quality buildings all at a time when governments are thinking about the future of rural areas, post-Brexit" 

To be part of the discussion, register here and see all the conference details here.

Confor has secured a special rate for members, £49 plus VAT against a full price of £99 plus VAT. Previous events have been sold out and early booking is strongly advised.

The rate includes refreshments and lunch.