News releases covering Scotland

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Full steam ahead for new Moray woodland

A rowan tree, reputed to bring good luck to travellers, has been planted at Drummuir Station on the Keith & Dufftown Railway to mark the creation of the Bellyhack Princess Wood.

Children from Botriphne Primary School and members of Loch Park Rural Skills Group also planted 60 oak trees at Drummuir Community Woodland, which overlooks the site of the Princess Wood, to celebrate the occasion. 

Two out of three Scots prefer pines

A survey carried out by the Woodland Trust Scotland has found that a majority of people believe that Scots pine should be Scotland’s National Tree.

Pine found favour with two thirds of respondents, and was followed by rowan, which took one fifth of the votes.

Nominations were also received for a range of trees including aspen, birch, and oak. The Arran whitebeams, Scotland’s only endemic tree species, came sixth.

Volunteers record some of Scotland's oldest oaks

The Cadzow Oaks , a large collection ancient trees near Hamilton that could have been planted long before the Battle of Bannockburn have been recorded for the Ancient Tree Hunt. Local legend states that the Cadzow Oaks were planted by King David I, who reigned from 1124 – 1153, as part of a royal hunting forest.

Because most of the trees are hollow they are hard to date definitively, but one of the oaks has been scientifically dated to 1444. This great age places the oaks among Scotland’s largest and oldest broadleaved trees.

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Tree planting is ‘snow’ bother

Hardy souls braved the weather to plant 1000 trees with the Woodland Trust Scotland at Formonthills Community Woodland in Glenrothes. Hundreds of mature trees at Formonthills were damaged by storms in 2012. They have been replaced with a variety of native species including aspen, birch, rowan and Scots pine, which will form attractive new woodland in just a few years.

Over the next three years Formonthills Community Woodland will be transformed, with new way marked trails including an all-abilities route suitable for wheelchairs, woodland sculptures and an information board.

This project to reconnect people with their local woodland has been made possible thanks to funding from the Fife Environment Trust.

Connecting people and trees at Ledmore and Migdale woods 

A three year project to re-connect people and trees at Ledmore and Migdale woods near Spinningdale in East Sutherland has been given the green light, thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the E.ON Rosehall Community Fund and donations from other charitable trusts.

The project is built around a number of improvements to the visitor facilities at the woods, including the restoration of a ruined croft cottage to create a sheltered activity hub, and the creation of a new, safer parking area, as well as an exciting programme of events.

Starting in the spring, there will be activities on offer for all ages and interests, including discovery days, workshops, oral history sessions, guided walks, and in the final year of the project, a very special story trail, developed in association with Carnegie Medal winning children’s author, Theresa Breslin.

The hunt is on for Scotland's Finest Woods

New woodland projects are invited to enter the Scotland's Finest Woods Awards 2013. For the third year in a row the Trust is sponsoring the New Native Woodland Award. The winner will receive the Woodland Trust Scotland and a £1,0000 cash prize. The awards are open for entries until 31 March.

For more information about the awards visit www.swfa.co.uk

 

The Great Trossachs Forest recognised in UK Landscape Award 2012 

The Great Trossach Forest, a major woodland restoration project in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, has been commended in the UK Landscape Award 2012, coming second overall. Set in the heart of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, The Great Trossachs Forest is one of the most significant native woodland regeneration projects in the UK.

The project area covers an area of 16650ha (41,000 acres), equivalent to the size of Glasgow, stretching from RSPB Scotland’s Inversnaid reserve on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond across the 9,500 hectare Forestry Commission estate at Loch Katrine, to the ancient hunting forests at Glen Finglas, owned and managed by the Woodland Trust Scotland.

It is home to ancient forests including ash, oak and birch woods, as well as native wildlife such as otters, red squirrels, golden eagle and black grouse.

Sue Morris, development officer for The Great Trossachs Forest, said: “We’re delighted to have been commended in the UK Landscape Award 2012. There were a number of really impressive projects in the shortlist so this is a real accolade for the project and the work that has been achieved so far.”

Richard Benyon MP, Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries, said that The Great Trossachs Forest, “demonstrated an ambitious, long-term project that brings the concept of ‘ecosystem services’ to life.”

 

Three years of tree-mendous support

Staff from the Woodland Trust Scotland and People’s Postcode Lottery gathered at Lang Craigs near Dumbarton to celebrate the third anniversary of support from players of the charity lottery.

Since 2010, players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised £391,552 in support for the Woodland Trust Scotland. 

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First trees planted at the Corrour Diamond Jubilee Wood

Schoolchildren from Roy Bridge and Spean Bridge primary schools planted the first trees in the Corrour Diamond Jubilee Wood, one of 60 Diamond Woods being created across the UK, 20 of which are in Scotland, as part of the Woodland Trust’s Jubilee Woods project.

More than 40,000 native trees, including birch, Scots pine, willow, alder, rowan and oak, will be planted to form the 90 acre wood, sited around Corrour Lodge on the shore of Loch Ossian.

Carol Evans, director of the Woodland Trust Scotland, said: “Corrour is one of the wildest Diamond Woods in the UK. It is a truly spectacular location and we’re delighted they are part of our project. In years to come the Corrour Diamond Jubilee Wood will prove to be a great example of how sustainably managed native woods can balance the needs of both people and nature. It’s a really fitting legacy for the Jubilee year.”

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New cases of ash dieback in Scotland

Following a rapid survey of Scotland's woodland the Forestry Commission Scotland announced on 6 November that new confirmed and suspected cases of Chalara ash dieback had been found.

Carol Evans, director of the Woodland Trust Scotland, said: “It’s worrying that more cases of have been identified in Scotland, although given the scale of the search that has been carried out we had expected to see some.

"Hopefully we’ll continue to see prompt action where infected trees have been found to try and ensure that the disease doesn’t spread further from these locations.

“It’s important to remember that this is just one of many diseases and pests that are threatening Scotland’s native trees and woods.

“We would ask people visiting woods to keep to main paths, comply with any notices, and show tree diseases a clean pair of heels by following basic biosecurity measures, including cleaning footwear, bike and car tyres before visiting any other sites."

Chalara ash dieback is a disease caused by the fungus Chalara fraxinea. It affects ash trees and has had a devastating impact on the species in Europe.

Our Trees Need Help 

Postcode Grove created at Lang Craigs

Staff from People’s Postcode Lottery swapped office life for the great outdoors when they planted 1,000 native trees to create the Postcode Grove at Lang Craigs, in the Kilpatrick Hills near Dumbarton.

The grove has been planted to celebrate the support players of the charity lottery have given to the Woodland Trust Scotland, and a short film has been produced to show the hard work of their staff.

Carol Evans, director, Woodland Trust Scotland and Annemiek Hoogenboom, country director, People’s Postcode Lottery, planted an oak tree to mark the occasion.

Royal seal of approval for Diamond Wood in the Borders

HRH The Princess Royal planted a wild cherry tree to mark the creation of the Grieston Hill Diamond Wood on the Glen Estate, near Innerleithen, in the Scottish Borders last week.

Children from St Ronan’s Primary School, Innerleithen, also planted 25 trees in the wood which is one of our 60 Diamond Woods to be created across the UK as part of our Jubilee Woods project.