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Minister Meets SAC

Scotland’s Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson MSP visited SAC’s Craibstone Campus on Monday 21st November.

During a two hour briefing he heard presentations and asked questions about SAC. Chief Executive and Principal Professor Bill McKelvey gave an overview, Dr. Kyrsten Black, Dean of Centre, and Life Sciences Group Manager outlined the education strategy while Dr. Christine Watson used climate change as an example in her explanation of the research SAC is involved with. Finally Principal Consultant Alister Laing described the work carried out by the Consultancy Division. Later, during a buffet lunch, the Minister was able to meet other members of staff in Aberdeen.

Stewart Stevenson told those attending he greatly valued  the understanding the visit had given him about the breadth of SAC activity and our role in Scotland and beyond. He said he was sure it would help him when dealing with questions in Parliament.

Later the same week The Minister met SAC’s, Turriff-based, Woodlands Consultant Jim Reilly when he visited Milton of Mathers Farm near Montrose to present Scotland’s first Woodland Carbon Code certificate. The farm is owned and managed by of J D Reid & Partners.

The new Woodland Carbon Code (WCC), developed by the Forestry Commission, sets national standard, good practice for woodland carbon capture projects. It ensures they are sustainably managed and will deliver the carbon savings they claim. Registered schemes also remain eligible for Scotland Rural Development Programme funding.

Jim Reilly and SAC colleagues, working with others like James Hepburne Scott of Forest Carbon Ltd, designed the scheme and applied for and got the forestry grants. Together they refined the carbon application process, applied and got forest carbon sequestration money, organised and supervised the planting and used the knowledge gained to help in developing, through the consultation process, the Forest Carbon Code.
The Minister Commented:

“It’s an innovative approach to encouraging investment and delivering climate change mitigation and, being the first project to achieve certification in the UK, the scheme here at Milton of Mathers is an important landmark.

The register and further information about the Code can be found on the Forestry Commission website.

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