Scottish Forestry felling permission applications and mapping standards queries: EIR Review

Information requested

Original request 202500480147

I am doing some research on felling permissions in Scotland over the period 2014 to 2024. I have been exploring the publicly accessible database (Public Register) and although it provides most of the information I am looking for, there is no map? To carry out my research which is spatially oriented analysis, I require the map info showing boundaries and species felled and replanted. Can you assist?

Response

I have now completed my review of our response to your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Act.

"I refer to your response regarding felling licence maps (202500480147).

I am unhappy with this response to my request for felling maps. The request is associated with research of very high public interest in that we are trying to establish how restocking approved by Scottish Forestry is contributing to critically important policy targets and goals regarding climate change, biodiversity and nature and whether this contribution represents value for money. I have a long standing academic interest in this issue and have never had data blocked by the relevant government body before.

There would appear to be some misunderstanding on your part regarding my request for data.

1. I did not request detailed 'design maps' associated with felling as your rejection letter states. I am asking for data which you do hold which are the restocking and harvesting maps associated with legal felling permission.

2. I am not looking for all the data, only those sites I identified using a systematic random sample of all forests in Scotland. I attach a list of those sites here again. The list contains all the information you need to identify the correct maps."

Further to my review acknowledgement letter dated 21 October 2025 and our subsequent email exchanges, in which I sought your confirmation on whether I am referring to the correct list with 193 entries you provided within the scope of your original request, I have now completed my review of our response to your request under the Environmental Information (Scotland) Act and have concluded that the original decision should be overturned.

I apologise once again for the misunderstanding and the additional confusion caused by my incorrect use of the term 'postcodes' when referring to the first column of the research sample list with 193 entries that you provided. I wanted to confirm that I have the correct list, as the amount of work and time needed to download the maps, change the format from JPG to PDF, redact personal data, and send the data to you by email was considerable. I can confirm that on re-evaluating the previously withheld information we can now provide you with all the fell and restock maps held by Scottish Forestry

I conducted a thorough review of our initial response and found that we should not have applied regulation 10(4)(a). After commissioning new searches on review it was established that Scottish Forestry do hold information pertaining to your request.

I can confirm that all the maps have now been released, within the scope of your request for the 193 entries provided in the original request. Licences are available for viewing: SF External Map Viewer and Tree felling authorisation | Scottish Forestry The names of all the files remain unchanged, and you can see it as it appears in the system’s section ‘Documents’ under felling applications.

Given the volume of documents included in our response, copies of the information we hold in relation to your request will be emailed to you separately because of the size and number of files. The files were placed in named folders according to the Excel spreadsheet you submitted. However, the number of documents remains large, and I appreciate your patience in receiving them.

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information which is enclosed in Annex B of this response because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, some of the information you requested was withheld under Regulation 10 (5) (e) of the EIRs (commercial confidentiality), which allows public authorities to withhold information when disclosure would, or would likely to, substantially prejudice the confidentiality of commercial and industrial information where such confidentiality is provided for by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.

ANNEX A

REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION

Personal data relating to a third party

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception is not subject to the ‘public interest test’, so we are not required to consider whether the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception.

Confidentiality of commercial information in relation to private water supplies – PWS

An exception under Regulation 10(5)(e) of the EIRs (Confidentiality of commercial information in relation to private water supplies - PWS) applies to some of the requested information because it relates to information supplied to the Conservancy and the Scottish Forestry’s National Office in its role as a regulator by members of the community, the applicant or other public bodies, revealing the exact location of private water supplies (PWS), which are vulnerable to disruption or pollution. This exception is subject to the public interest test, and we have a statutory obligation to apply it. Under Regulation 10 (5) (e), I assumed disclosure when applying the exception and weighed the public interest in either maintaining or disclosing the information. Although we recognise there may be public interest in releasing all the information, I have concluded that, on balance, the public interest supports upholding the exception, as disclosing this specific type of information would have an adverse effect not only on the economic interests of the applicant but also on others, since households and businesses depend on these supplies. Therefore, it is crucial to protect them from the impacts of land use changes and forestry operations.

Due to the size of the files we are unable to upload the documents referred to above. If you wish to consider, please contact us at the address below and we will be happy to provide.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.