Maintaining public access

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives everyone a legal right to access most land in Scotland. 

This gives the public the right to responsibly access land for walking or other leisure activities. These rights apply in many of Scotland's forests, whether there is formal recreation facilities or not. 

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code helps all land users understand their rights and responsibilities. It is based on three key principles:

• Respect the interests of others.
• Care for the environment.
• Take responsibility for your own actions.

Felling trees is inherently dangerous. Landowners and managers must ensure the safety of both the public and those on site. Sometimes this means restricting access to sites during operations to meet health and safety requirements. 

We provide detailed guidance to help you understand your responsibilities during forestry operations:

Local authorities maintain public access rights. If forestry operations are likely to restrict access, you must engage with both the forest users and relevant local authority. Confirm any agreements and mitigation plans before you submit an application to us. 

Other organisations, like the Forestry Industry Safety Accord (FISA) offer further guidance on managing health and safety in forestry.