CRU cover

Central Research Unit The views expressed in this report are those of the researchers and do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers. Further copies of this report are available priced £5.00. Cheques should be made payable to The Stationery Office Ltd and addressed to: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to acknowledge the patience and time of the great many people, organisations and businesses who responded to our enquiries. These are listed in Annex 1 and in the text. We would also like to acknowledge the support and advice provided by the Advisory Group appointed by the Scottish Executive for this study, namely John Ramsay and Gill Clark of Scottish Executive, and Daniel Gotts of Scottish Natural Heritage. This study built upon the research conducted by the Flora Celtica – Scotland 2000 project, to which Greg Kenicer and Veerle van den Eynden (among others) made invaluable contributions. We would like to acknowledge the support received from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh throughout the duration of the Flora Celtica project and the preparation of this report. 1. This scoping study examines the current commercial use of native Scottish plant resources, the potential for their development, and the implications for biodiversity conservation, environmental management and sustainable development in Scotland. ii CURRENT COMMERCIAL USE OF NATIVE PLANTS 2. Scotland's natural environment is one of its greatest assets, contributing in many ways to Scottish livelihoods. Native plant resources form a valuable part of this asset. The most significant commercial use of these resources is currently the native timber industry (Scots pine and to a lesser extent hardwoods). However, native plants also play roles in a range of other sectors. These include food and drinks (e.g. 3. Most of the businesses operating in these sectors are small or in a few cases medium-sized. They are numerous and widespread, and in many cases source their raw materials or base themselves in areas where other employment options are limited. They can thus play an important role in the provision of individual jobs in the rural economy, including in remoter communities. 4. At present the most significant commercial non-timber uses of wild plants in Scotland are in the food and the environmental sectors. Both of these have seen new developments in recent years, e.g. the establishment of novel drinks based on heather and other wild plants, and the establishment of artificial wetland systems for sewage treatment. …