What will Scotland\u2019s forests and natural capital look like in 2055?<\/p>\n
That question lay at the heart of a roundtable this month, hosted by Cazenove Capital and organised by Edinburgh Napier University\u2019s Impact Investment Symposium (IIS).<\/p>\n
Chaired by Dr David Brand, Executive Chair at New Forests, the event convened leading investors, foresters and community advocates to shape a vision rooted in Scottish values.<\/p>\n
Community at the Root<\/strong><\/p>\n Throughout the half-day symposium, participants returned to one central theme: the indispensable role of social and community capital. \u201cCommunity needs and social values are the very soil in which responsible investment must take root,\u201d said Dr Paul Atkinson of Par Equity, Chair of IIS. Investors, industry and community leaders echoed this sentiment, warning against wholesale adoption of the so-called \u201cAmerican model\u201d and calling instead for strategies that protect and promote local social capital alongside environmental outcomes.<\/p>\n Rethinking \u201cScale\u201d for Scotland<\/strong><\/p>\n A lively debate emerged around redefining \u201cscalability\u201d for Scotland\u2019s unique landscape. Drawing on his global experience across emerging and mature markets, Dr Brand proposed a Scotland-centric framework for impact investment\u2014one that balances ambition with community well-being. \u201cScotland needs an investment model that understands Scottish geography, Scottish people and Scottish values,\u201d he noted, underscoring the need to tailor financing vehicles to local realities.<\/p>\n A Tailored Landscape Investment Fund on the Horizon<\/strong><\/p>\n Building on these discussions, delegates agreed to explore the creation of a tailored Landscape Investment Fund dedicated exclusively to Scottish forestry and natural capital. Such a fund would prioritise projects that deliver social, environmental and economic benefits in equal measure. Crucially, it would operate within fit-for-purpose governance frameworks \u2013 clear, adaptive rules that guarantee transparency and accountability \u2013 and draw on innovative working capital markets to provide early-stage financing for planting, management and processing activities.<\/p>\n \u201cNatural capital plays a vital role in our economy and society. It\u2019s increasingly becoming an important factor when considering material risk, but also opportunity, for businesses. ESG factors are therefore central to how we think about long-term value, resilience, and responsible stewardship on behalf of our clients\u201d explains Sandra Dailidyte, Portfolio Manager at Cazenove Capital.<\/p>\n Education as a Catalyst<\/strong><\/p>\n Beyond finance, the roundtable identified education and public engagement as critical to long-term success. \u201cOur vision won\u2019t materialise if only experts understand it,\u201d observed Mary Jane Brouwers, Vice Chair of IIS, \u201cBroad awareness and active participation are essential if we\u2019re to steward our natural resources responsibly for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n From Dialogue to Action<\/strong><\/p>\n This roundtable builds on last November\u2019s two-day \u201cAction-Focused Symposium on Sustainable Forestry,\u201d at which Dr Brand was the Keynote speaker showcasing global perspective, which convened academics, investors and industry leaders to chart Scotland\u2019s forestry future. Notably, since the Symposium, the International Sustainable Forestry Coalition has relocated from London to Edinburgh early. The IIS event distilled diverse insights, channelling them into concrete proposals for potential investment, education and community empowerment.<\/p>\n As Scotland looks ahead to 2055, the consensus is clear: a genuinely Scottish approach to natural capital must be rooted in community, guided by tailored strategies and sustained through shared knowledge \u2014ensuring that the forests of tomorrow serve both people and planet alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cScotland needs an investment model that understands Scottish geography, Scottish people and Scottish values,\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":888,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[134],"tags":[227],"class_list":["post-887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability","tag-impact-investment"],"yoast_head":"\n