Future Woodlands Scotland has awarded £30,000 in the most recent round of Research and Innovation Grants to four forward-thinking projects. These projects aim to boost the resilience and knowledge of Scotland’s native woodlands.

Following a competitive review of 11 high-quality applications in the first round of funding in February, the panel selected a diverse range of projects. These four projects aim to promote sustainable woodland management and safeguard Scotland’s natural habitats for generations to come.

The chosen projects cover a variety of vital areas, from establishing native ground flora in woodland habitats to developing a native strain of Chaga mushroom, and addressing deer management through cross-sector collaboration.  

The successful applicants include:

• Scotland: The Big Picture – continuing efforts to re-establish native ground flora.
• Rhyze Mushrooms – developing a native strain of Chaga, building on a previously funded feasibility study.
• Common Ground Forum – organising a 2025 gathering focused on deer management and civic dialogue.
• Scotland: The Big Picture – raising awareness of riparian woodland restoration through site visits and community screenings in Loch Abar Mòr.

We’ll be sharing more about each of these projects in the coming weeks.

“Working hard to grow the fund”

Ailsa Watson, Finance & Operations Manager, said: “It was a competitive round but we have worked hard to grow the fund this year so that we can award more grants in the autumn. We’re acutely aware that the funding landscape for this kind of research is limited, so it’s important that we meet that need as best we can. The panel decided to support Rhyze’s Chaga project into its field trial stage. Past grantees have told us that the ability to reapply during a project’s development is invaluable as it allows for a degree of educated risk-taking. The charity was funding research into establishing ground flora when I started working here in 2021 so it’s been inspiring to see that work gaining momentum through uptake by NGOs.”

Since it was set up in 2016, the Research and Innovation Grants programme has supported 33 projects, helping to advance our understanding of native woodlands  across Scotland.

The next round of funding is now open and will close in August 2025. Find out more about the projects we’ve supported and how to apply.