FORESTRY CONTRACTING IN NORTHERN SCOTLAND - A SURVEY REPORT

This paper reports results from a survey of forest contracting firms ( 'contractors') in Northern Scotland, carried out as part of a triparti te 1991-94 study of forestry in rural development in Scotland, Norther n Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Aspects of the overall study fo cused upon the structure and activities of the contractor sector of th e Scottish forestry industry, in particular its sources of business, e mployment characteristics, capital assets and future prospects. Result s show that the sector in 1992 was highly fragmented, while sub-contra cting was common. Harvesting and general contractors were heavily reli ant on the Forestry Commission for contracts, while silvicultural cont ractors mostly relied on forest management companies and farmers. Duri ng the last 12 years, employment has increased only in the general sec tor, while workers directly employed tended to live closer to the firm 's address than sub-contractors. Finally, most harvesting and silvicul tural firms in the area were, at the time of survey, pessimistic as to the future survival of their businesses.