THE centuries-long decline in Scotland's native pine forests has been reversed, according to the Forestry Commission Scotland.

Bob McIntosh, its director, is to tell a conference of foresters and scientists today that there has been a major turnaround in the status of our native pinewoods in the past 40 years.

''A precious habitat that was on the brink of extinction and which was championed by a few lone voices now features largely in mainstream forestry and conservation policy.

''This is reflected in very significant achievements on the ground in terms of improvements in both the extent and condition of our pinewoods,'' he will say.

Dr McIntosh is to deliver the keynote speech at a conference on native pinewoods, organised by the British Ecological Society in Drumnadrochit.

Forests of Scots pine and similar species colonised large areas of Scotland after the last ice age ended 10,000 years ago.

The total area of remnants of original, natural pine forests in Scotland was estimated to be about 18,000 hectares in 1999. They are believed to have reached their lowest extent around 1987, when it was estimated there were about 12,000 hectares - less than 1% of their original area.

In addition, Forestry Commission Scotland estimates that more than 50,000 hectares of new pine forest have been established since the late 1980s.

''The discussion has moved on from how to protect the remnants to consideration of how ambitious our aspirations for expansion should be,'' Dr McIntosh will say.

Since the 1950s, the Forestry Commission has put into action a plan to restore and expand the area of native pinewood on national forest lands.