CRAIG Hoy, a Conservative MSP for South Scotland, has recently visited Elsoms Trees near Haddington.
Elsoms Trees Ltd based at Harperdean Farm, near Haddington are a leading forestry tree nursery specialising in the production of trees for new woodland creation. The business is jointly owned by Elsoms Seeds Ltd an agricultural seed company and a local family from Haddington who have over 70 years’ experience in the tree nursery sector.
The tree nursery is one of the largest native tree nurseries in the United Kingdom, employing 30 people in East Lothian. While visiting the tree nursery, Craig Hoy MSP learned of a planned 41% cut to the Scottish Forestry Budget which could result in the wasting and destruction of between 10 to 20 million viable trees.
The South Scotland MSP said to Members of the Scottish Parliament in a debate following the visit: “Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of visiting Rodney, Craig and Kevin Shearer at Elsoms Trees, outside Haddington in East Lothian. After only two years, it has become one of the UK’s leading producers of native trees. During my visit, I was told of the devastating consequences that the Scottish Government’s 41 per cent cut to the Scottish forestry grant will have on local jobs, as well as on the delivery of important environmental and biodiversity targets. I wish Rodney, Craig, Kevin and their local team well as they develop their business, which contributes to the local economy and to the Scottish environment.
“I have also heard from Alba Trees, another East Lothian-based nursery, which employs around 100 people locally and grows 20 million trees every year. Its managers, too, are concerned about the significant cut to funding that has been proposed in the 2024-25 budget. Make no mistake: that will come as a major blow for the industry and could undermine our forestry goals.”
Concerns were raised as the Scottish Forestry Budget is administered on an annual basis, when tree planting takes between 2-3 years, resulting in uncertainty amongst local tree planters.
Rodney Shearer from Elsoms Trees commented: “It was a pleasure to show our local MSP Craig Hoy around our tree nursery and to confirm his support for woodland creation in Scotland. He commented on the significant contribution East Lothian businesses including two major tree nurseries and sawmills make to the Scottish forestry industry and the substantial local employment created.”
