The future management of Scotland's forests is the subject of a new Scottish Government consultation.

Ministers have set out plans for full devolution of the £1 billion forestry sector, including proposals for a dedicated forestry division within the government to look at policy and regulation - currently the function of Forestry Commission Scotland.

The plans would also see the creation of a new agency, Forestry and Land Scotland, focusing on the management and development of the national forest estate, which covers more than 640,000 hectares, or about 8.2% of Scotland's land mass.

The consultation states: "The existing governance and accountability arrangements are complex and outmoded, and do not reflect the post-devolution landscape or operating environment.

"The Forestry Commission itself is gradually moving its functions away from the centre to individual countries and, since 2013, there has been uncertainty about the remaining Forestry Commission GB arrangements.

"We want to establish simpler and more straightforward governance arrangements so that the management of forestry in Scotland is fully accountable to the Scottish ministers and to the Scottish Parliament."

Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy, said: "Today we are launching a consultation on plans to complete the devolution of forestry.

"The consultation responses will inform and shape our policy, supporting forestry as one of our most important natural assets for generations to come and ensuring that it continues to deliver for the nation and communities across the country."

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said it will respond in detail to the consultation amid concerns among members employed by the Forestry Commission.

National officer Lynn Henderson said: "The key priority for forestry going forward is to keep this valuable resource public, properly resourced and to remove all of the uncertainty for the dedicated staff who work there who have been extremely worried about their futures.

"We will be seeking a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary to ensure that the voices of our members are heard loud and clear."

The deadline for responses to the consultation is November 9.

Woodland Trust Scotland said it was encouraging as many people as possible to respond to the consultation.

Public affairs manager Charles Dundas said: "We need an independent Forestry Commission in Scotland to look after our important woodland sector. It certainly shouldn't be abolished and merged into government as this consultation suggests.

"The Forestry Commission in Scotland does a great job and is one of the most trusted names in Scottish public life, so although it's good to tidy up the loose ends from devolution, we need to make sure that the decisions the Scottish Government take about its future are in the best interests of Scotland's woods and trees.

"We believe that means it should continue as a small Government agency of expert foresters, and not have its role absorbed by a Government department."