2nd consultation focus groups & public meetings

 

Focus Groups

As part of the Scottish Forestry Strategy Review, OPENspace (the research centre for inclusive access to outdoor environments; Edinburgh College of Art and Heriot-Watt University) ran a series of five focus groups, with an average of eight people per group, comprising:

1. People from a remote rural area, based in Dumfries and Galloway;
2. Blind and partially sighted people based in Edinburgh;
3. Women from black and minority ethnic groups in Edinburgh;
4. People with a range of disabilities, including mobility impairment and mental illness, based in East Lothian; and
5. Young people from an urban area of social deprivation, based in Glasgow.

This project was undertaken as an exercise to widen the consultation base for the review process.

The OPENspace Final Report (1Mb) was completed on 20 April 2006.

Public Meetings

Ten public meetings were held to present and discuss the draft Scottish Forestry Strategy.  Each meeting was hosted by the relevant Regional Forestry Forum:

Date	Location	Regional Forestry Forum
9 March	Dundee	Perth & Argyll
14 March	Inverness	Highland
15 March	Fochabers	Grampian
16 March	Glasgow	Central Scotland
21 March	Luss	Perth & Argyll
28 March	Newtown St Boswells	South Scotland
31 March	Dumfries	South Scotland
3 April	Thainstone	Grampian
25 April	Abriachan	Highland
26 April	Edinburgh	Central Scotland

Attendance averaged 25 at each meeting, with a wide range of individuals and organisations represented.  Discussion focused on a number of key issues and comments (PDF 23k).  This feedback, coupled with written responses to the second consultation paper, will now inform the final revision of the Scottish Forestry Strategy.