Wooplaw Woods Celebrates 25 Years

Spring/Summer 2012: Issue 29

T R U S T

Rooted in the community

GreenThe

Shed

In 1987 Britain’s first ever community woodland was established in the Borders. The group’s Chairman, Bob Fleet, describes how it continues to flourish a quarter of a century on.

Walking through the woods with a man with a microphone I suddenly felt like a hippy. He’d just asked me what the philosophy behind Wooplaw was and it was one of those questions you just can’t answer. Something like “just being out in the woods is something else. You feel at one with nature. There’s an inner feeling.” I wished I’d thought about it for a bit before. Oh well, flared-jeans, bells, flowers, peace and love. How do you describe what Wooplaw means after 25 years? It’s a place, it’s a movement, it’s people and in its own way it has led on to all sorts of public land purchases including Scottish islands. It was the first actual land purchase heralding over 200 community woodlands in Scotland alone. Were the group of people sitting around a bottle of wine in Tim Stead’s kitchen really philosophers or did they just like wine? They must have got something right because we’re still doing it and others are copying it.

As always, before they were ready Wooplaw came on the market. If there had been time to think then there might have been plans for an ideal site which would never have fitted what was for sale. As it was they got an amazing wood. Mature trees, an open field, sitka, broadleaves, a stream, open hillside, boggy bits, a road through the middle, another bit 200 metres away, telephone cables, power lines. You name it we’ve got it. And it makes us all the richer.

Right from the start there was a supply of wood to build things as well as the scope of planting the open fields. Oh the joys of horizontal sleet when planting a tube forest, but then thinning the sitka had provided a cabin for shelter. Whatever your thing (back to the hippy bit again) there is scope to do it. If you don’t like arty things then you can help construct. If you want wildlife then it’s here in all varieties. The kids can go off and build a den while mum and dad burn stuff on the BBQ or do some willow cropping, tree maintenance or green woodwork. Still not quite sure about the philosophy stuff but it’s in there somewhere.

Other people feel it too and over those 25 years dozens of different groups have come to the woods and gone away feeling a bit better for it. One hardy bunch even saw in the new millennium camping at Gullet Wood. Just looking through some of the old newsletters really is an eye opener.

Anyway we’re celebrating it this year at WOOPLAW25 on the first weekend in September. We’ll set out four themes:

• Heritage and arts • Working woodlands • Environment and biodiversity • Wellbeing, health, fitness and education

The woodlands will probably become a giant campsite as everyone is invited back. The cabin surroundings will be a chill out area and feeding place. We’ve decided not to cater but will have the stove and BBQ lit so you can burn your own. We’re starting with a Blue Moon on the Friday 31st August and will take it from there. You’ll get more info on the Wooplaw website, www.wooplaw.org.uk so mark your calendars and diaries now.

Green woodworking - a Wooplaw speciality

Welcome to Wooplaw

One of many unexpected finds at Wooplaw. Photo Bob Fleet

A Word from the ChairmanThe last few months have been times of change as well as presenting considerable challenges for BFT.

As many of you will know our Director Callum Rankine finished with us at the beginning of February after ten months in the job. We were sorry that things did not work out as we had hoped but I would like to thank Callum for his contribution while he was with us. We are in the process of recruiting a new Director and until someone is appointed I am acting as Interim Director.

Ed Glenwright who was the Site Manager at Corehead left last autumn to take up another job which meant a gap there before we welcomed Phil Roe into that post at the start of the year. George Moffat our Woodland Officer broke his ankle at Christmas and has been out of action for some weeks though I am very glad to say that he is now on the mend and able to help in the office.

All this has led to extra work and some uncertainty for staff and I am full of admiration for the way they have responded – keeping the show on the road through it all. I am also very grateful to our Trustees who have rallied round to help.

By the time you read this we shall know whether our attempt to purchase the Talla and Gameshope estate has been successful – see article alongside for more information about this very special place. There has been very little time to react to this opportunity let alone consult with our members and I hope you will feel we did the right thing in mounting an ambitious bid to purchase this together with the John Muir Trust. JMT has been a good friend of BFT for a number of years having helped us at Carrifran and Corehead and the two organisations share a number of similar aims. At a sale price of over £1 million, the project was too much for either of us to proceed on our own but together we felt we had a chance to pull off something which would be of national significance. The response from our members and supporters to our appeal for pledges has been truly amazing and gives us a real chance. Fingers crossed!

John Hunt

Visit from the Environment & Climate Change Minister

Stewart Stevenson MSP visited BFT and Real Wood Studios for the first time in November to find out more about the work both organisations are carrying out. Mr Stevenson said “With the help of volunteers, communities and the private and public sector, Borders Forest Trust has carried out some tremendous work, notably doubling the amount of native woodland found in the region. During my visit I have met some very enthusiastic and dedicated staff. I was especially impressed with Real Wood Studios which is displaying outstanding craftsmanship and beautiful bespoke hardwood products.”

2012 AGM & Trustee Vacancies

We hope you’ll be able to join us for this year’s AGM which will be held at 7pm, Thursday 19th July at the Townhouse hotel in Melrose. Full details will be sent out with the AGM paperwork later in the year. Two of our Trustees are required to stand down at the AGM having completed two three-year terms. Our thanks go to Rose Clarkson and our Chairman John Hunt for all of the hard work they have put in over the last six years. Two other Trustees, Michael Baker and Jim Knight, have reached the end of their first term and wish to stand for re-election for a second term. This means that we have vacancies for two new Trustees. Nominations should be addressed to the Company Secretary and must be received at the BFT office by Thursday 7th June (42 days before the AGM). Please contact the office for a nomination form and further information. Should we receive more nominations than vacancies, voting forms will be sent out with the AGM papers. To find out more about the role of a Trustee, see Stephanie Young’s article on page 5.

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Sarah Anderson on maternity leave

Our Office Manager Sarah is now on maternity leave and all at BFT hope that she enjoys her time at home with her new arrival. Sarah was the brains behind our Tree Hugging Week fundraiser which had a fantastic response and had a final tally of over £1700 raised from enthusiastic tree huggers plus sponsorship from Treesurv Woodland Management. Sarah is due to return in late June.

5th Scottish Conker Championships

A fine autumn day drew a crowd of 84 competitors and many more spectators to the championship, which took place in Peebles in late October as part of the Tweed Valley Forest Festival. Junior Champion this year was nine year-old Jordan McMinn of Peebles, who displayed considerable focus to beat runner up, seven year-old Hunter McCrone. The Youth category was won by fifteen year-old regular competitor Charlie Griggs, while the runner up was twelve year-old Matthew Lindsay. In the Adult competition Maurice Hurrell of Tullibody took the crown over Phil Gates of Peebles while Andrew Wilson beat his brother William in a nail-biting Rogues final.

Award Nominations

In late 2011 Lisa Brydon’s youth volunteering project was shortlisted in the Scottish Borders Business Diversity Awards. The project didn’t take the top prize but it was great to see Lisa’s hard work getting recognition from the groups who refer young people to her volunteer day.

The Carrifran Wildwood project was also in the running for an award after being shortlisted for the RSPB’s new Nature of Scotland Awards. The project was nominated in the Innovation category and was Highly Commended at the actual ceremony in March.

Willow Creatures

Late last year a series of willow sculpture workshops took place at Community Woodlands across the Borders. The project was funded by Awards for All and the FCS International Year of Forests fund and almost 100 people took part in events led by sculptors Toni Coyle and Trevor Leat. The theme was “wildlife” and if you’re visiting the woods keep your eyes peeled to see if you can spot them. There’s a deer at Gordon, bee at Crailing Orchard, otter at Kelso’s Wooden Anna, badger at Houndwood, squirrel at Wooplaw and owl at Darnick. Some are easy to find, others well hidden!

News from Borders Forest Trust

Talla and Gameshope – the Wild Heart of the Southern UplandsTalla and Gameshope is a very large sheep farm (5300 acres) and encompasses a range of spectacular hills up to 800 metres (2600 feet) split by two splendid valleys of which Gameshope is particularly fine with steep rugged slopes and crags – like a Highland glen moved down to the Borders. However, beautiful though these hills undoubtedly are, they are not in good health. Having been grazed by sheep for hundreds of years all the native woodland has long since gone with just the odd rowan clinging to the cliffs and burn sides. Even heather is hard to find and the wildlife interest is very limited. There is huge potential in the long term to restore a natural and more diverse vegetation cover and bring back many plant and animal species. Grazing pressures would have to be reduced and some trees planted but it would be nature with its wonderful recuperative powers which would do the rest.

Immediately adjoining the property to the south is the Carrifran Wildwood which is already showing what a remarkable transformation can be achieved in only 11 years. The nearest point of Corehead Farm, which BFT bought in 2009, is only just over a mile to the west, so the potential linkages and benefits are obvious.

Reuben Singleton, respected ecologist and former BFT Trustee, put the case for trying to buy this site in a nutshell: “This is a very exciting, once in a generation opportunity and in my view the Talla and Gameshope valleys are the best example of wild land in the Borders. When considered together with the adjacent land under conservation ownership, this is a fantastic opportunity to practice upland conservation on a landscape scale – we must pull out all the stops to secure it.”

John Hunt

STOP PRESS! Bid for Talla and Gameshope not successfulAfter the tremendous effort made and the many generous pledges received it was hugely disappointing to miss out narrowly on the attempt by BFT and JMT to buy this estate. We understand that 8 bids were made at the closing date and that ours was the second highest. We were kept waiting for two days for a decision as the top bids were so close.

We should take heart from showing that we could react quickly to an opportunity such as this and the response from our members and supporters was truly amazing.

A very big thank you to all those who supported this venture. Our chance may come again.

The dramatic landscape of Talla Gameshope

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson at the Real Wood Studios showroom

Sarah, Anna and Paul Short

of Treesurv hugging at Morebattle

Primary

Junior finalists Jordan McMinn and Hunter McCrone with judge Lisa Brydon

Maturing birch and alder trees at Carrifran - Philip Ashmole

Otter sculpture at the Wooden Anna, Kelso. Photo - Keith Robeson

A significant Wildwood event in late summer 2011 was when twelve members of the Carrifran Ecological Planning Group, including Mike Daniels representing the John Muir Trust, took part in the annual site visit. It was agreed that the Holly Gill deer fence was no longer needed to protect the trees and that it should be removed (this has been done subsequently in a major operation by our dedicated Tuesday volunteers). We then went on to look at the eroded peat hags in Rotten Bottom and at the head of the Little Firthhope Burn and agreed that we should attempt some small-scale remedial action when there was an opportunity, since healing of damaged peat bogs is usually an extremely slow process.

The weather has been generally good for planting over the autumn and winter months, though the volunteers have had their share of foul weather in the glen. Several thousand trees have been planted, many of them on high and steep slopes in the more remote areas.

Project Officer George Moffat unfortunately broke his ankle in late December and was on sick leave for a couple of months, but is now cautiously getting back to work. In his absence, Keith Threadgall of Real Wood Studios has been helping out at Carrifran on some Tuesdays, while Philip has been trying – more or less successfully – to ensure that tools, canes, vole guards and trees are all available when needed by the volunteers.

On 14th February the Tuesday volunteers were planning to do fence repairs on White Coomb, but to provide a change we arranged to finish the day by walking out along the whole length of the Gameshope Burn, from Rotten Bottom down to Talla Reservoir.

Lots of people turned up for the volunteer Sundays in the autumn and in February, and we’re looking forward to a final spurt of planting in late March and on the high camp weekend of 14th-15th April. Anyone wanting to sign up for the camp should contact Hugh Chalmers on hughchalmers@live.co.uk

On 1st March Hugh Chalmers attended the awards event for the new RSPB Nature of Scotland Awards, for which the Wildwood entry had been organised by John Savory. Carrifran Wildwood was short-listed and in the end Highly Commended in the Innovation category. Congratulations to all concerned with this recognition of our work – which really means everyone who has been involved in the project since the mid-1990s!

Philip Ashmole

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News from Carrifran Wildwood

When the Wildwood Group took possession of Carrifran at the turn of the millennium, we stared at the empty, denuded glen and dreamt of lush forest. Twelve years on and with the original planting now complete, the dream is becoming reality.

A forest, of course, is much more than a collection of trees and shrubs. What vision of natural forest would not include carpets of bluebells and dog’s mercury and banks of ferns peppered with eye catching herbs? This vision is still some way off and, left entirely to natural processes, is likely to remain so for some considerable time. With the latter point in mind, the Wildwood Group is seeking permission from SNH to ‘translocate’ several plant species typically associated with upland woodlands and other montane habitats. The aim of the translocations is twofold – firstly, to aid the spread of species already occurring in the glen and secondly, to enrich the existing flora with species long absent from the area and unlikely to find their own way there anytime soon. This is planned as the first of a series of translocations stretching decades into the future.

Harnessing the knowledge of the Ecological Planning Group, a list of approximately fifty species was drawn up, of which, roughly half are already present at Carrifran. The remaining species will be carefully sourced from genetically native populations of clear local provenance.

And what of the plants themselves? The majority are common and fairly catholic woodland species such as bluebell, dog’s mercury, wood anemone, wood sorrel, barren strawberry and various Dryopteris spp. ferns. Some of the species are more specific to certain kinds of woodland e.g. enchanter’s nightshade, upland enchanter’s nightshade, alternate-leaved golden saxifrage, sanicle and shield-fern in more mature ashwood and, bugle, marsh marigold and valerian in alder wood. In addition to broadleaved herbs and ferns, the list includes the classic woodland grasses false brome, hairy brome and wood melick.

Above the tree-line, the regionally important population of bog bilberry at Little Firthhope will be reinforced and expanded into Rotten Bottom. The bog communities will be further enriched with bog rosemary and certain bog mosses. Permission will also be sought to establish a population of the regionally scarce arctic-alpine bearberry among high level, exposed montane heath.

* Translocations = moving species from one part of their natural range to another. Not to be confused with re-introductions of extinct species e.g. oblong woodsia at Carrifran.

Stuart Adair

Drygrange Community Woodland Orchard

Plans to plant a hundred apple, pear, plum and soft fruit bushes at Drygrange Community Woodland, at Leaderfoot, have recently taken a big leap forward. A Greener Melrose, working in partnership with BFT, has been awarded £3000 for trees and protection from the Climate Challenge Fund. In the coming decades, fruit from the orchard will reduce the amount of fruit brought in from further afield, so overall the carbon footprint will be reduced. The initiative is part of A Greener Melrose’s local food campaign, which last year held four apple crushing events using a new hydraulic apple press, and which was a great success in showing how we can make use of abundant fruit which already exists in the Borders, but which often goes to waste.

By the end of 2012, 100 trees will be planted, along with soft fruit, and a special area for growing on apple root stocks. These apple root stocks are being grown by the Earlston Apple Town project, which aims to plant productive apple trees in lots of open spaces and gardens in the town. Help from volunteers is vital, and already Lisa Brydon from BFT has brought her BFT group to build fences and plant trees. Look out for four special planting events over the year, as well as picnics and more apple crushing. The orchard is a vital community space to show how we can produce food locally, and a place to try out some new ideas, such as Forest Gardening. A Greener Melrose is keen to encourage local people to share their food growing knowledge and skills, to show how we can manage this space for people and wildlife.

For more info and to get involved, contact Hugh Chalmers, Secretary, A Greener Melrose 07821 374 592, email greenermelrose@live.co.uk

Hugh Chalmers

Becoming a TrusteeMost people I speak to never think of putting themselves forward for election as a Trustee at the AGM. Whilst I sometimes think when talking to members, they secretly harbour a desire to be a Trustee, they hesitate and then, it’s all over for another year. So to get you thinking about it, here’s a bit about what we Trustees do and my recent experience.

Trustees take the big decisions about the future, ensure everything is legal and safe, fundraise, support the team and ensure the plans are delivered on time and on budget. But the biggest challenge is acting in the best interests of the Trust and sticking to the delivery of our vision. This can be challenging, but our vision is not short term. We are committed to ecological restoration, planting native trees, nurturing flora and fauna and developing a woodland culture that allows us all to thrive, for many generations to come. But don’t think you’ll have to wait forever to see results. Our work at Carrifran Wildwood demonstrates how much progress can be made in ten years, with flora and fauna blossoming wildly and wonderfully in every direction.

As someone with limited technical knowledge about ecological restoration or native trees, I have had to learn a new language, including a whole new set of acronyms. I now have a growing pile of books at home on native trees, climate change and sustainability. In return I have contributed my knowledge on developing strategy, organisation development and finance. It has been both rewarding and challenging. So why don’t you do more than think about it this year. We’d be particularly keen to hear from you if you have a background in education, community development, finance or legal. Contact the BFT office to find out more.

Stephanie Young

Translocations* of plant species at Carrifran Marsh Marigold (Caltha

palustris) in alderwood, Rathmoss Beck, CumbriaThe first apple tree planted

Carrifran Ecological Planning Group lunching

on Games Castle above Rotten Bottom

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)

Anna Craigen shares some of the highlights from her current project work.

Things have been ticking along nicely in the world of outdoor education. The lack of true wintry conditions has meant that demand for activities has remained steady over the last few months and my diary looks set to remain busy for the rest of this school year.

I’ve been out and about with numerous groups; however the highlights for me have been helping a Primary 7 class at St Ronan’s with their Operation Biodiversity project and leading a woodland-based preparation for work project (Transitions 16+) with two fantastic young men who have been in long term care. Thanks go to Forestry Commission Scotland and the Cattanach Charitable Trust for helping to fund this work.

The Preparation for Work Project Over the course of six weeks we have been going to Wooplaw Woods to carry out a variety of activities such as traditional (safe) firelighting; safe use of hand tools; outdoor cooking; problem solving; bat and bird box building, whilst at the same time doing useful odd jobs for the Wooplaw Group, enjoying good banter and having a bit of a giggle.

Project feedback from Pam Graham, Transitions Support Worker, Employment and Placement, ICS:

“This project has been a positive experience for my clients, giving them tangible work experience and teaching them transferable skills that they can take to an employer. Both young men have made huge improvements in their own personal development through team work, improving their own personal communication skills and expanding their knowledge of the countryside and wildlife around them.”

Feedback from the lads:

“It’s braw, fun and brilliant!! It’s been a really good experience.”

“Aye, it’s been right guid and really chilled out.”

Operation BiodiversityThe St. Ronan’s pupils share their experience of creating habitats for wildlife.

Primary 7 from St Ronans Primary have started a project called Operation Biodiversity. Our project is to turn our wetland into a biodiversity garden. This will help our teamwork, maths and understanding about nature. Our teacher met Anna Craigen and they brainstormed things we could do to the area. The class chose the best suggestions and invited Anna in to speak with the class.

We would like to grow willow and hazel in our biodiversity garden because they will provide a habitat for insects, a screen to hide our log pile and a resource to use in art. We found a website called The Commonwealth Orchard Project. We bought two plum, two pear and four apple trees for £120. This will provide fruit, blossom and habitat.

We’re hoping to finish before we leave. We need to put in mini ponds, plant vegetables, plant the willow and hazel, establish a log pile for insects and bugs, sow a flower area, bog patches and build a rockery.

We hope to invite the community to help us as we’d like it to be a community garden as well as our garden. We’re going to have an opening ceremony when it’s finished.

Woodland Education & Forest Schools

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An important part of my job is attracting and helping people visit and experience woodlands for the first time. This runs very close to my heart as I can remember happy times as a youngster when my dad took me and my sisters into the woods to discover what lurked behind, under, over and above. I’ve never forgotten those days and continue to champion the benefits that woodlands have on each and every one of us both physically and mentally.

Last year, after Darnick Community Woodland had its new all ability path, shelter and benches installed we decided in conjunction with Paths for All to set up a weekly woodland walking initiative. This was open to anyone in the local community including the possibility of patients from Borders General Hospital.

Initially my first walker was an 80 year old lady who by all accounts could probably out-walk my 40 years any day! She still continues to be a very important participant of the group and encourages some of the younger ones along. One of the sad realities that this walking opportunity has highlighted to me is how

many older people suffer from social isolation, even those from villages and towns and in areas where you would never associate with this problem. Other reasons people don’t feel confident enough to visit woodlands is through fear of crime or disability.

This walking initiative is trying to break down some of these barriers by giving people the chance to come along with someone like myself who feels totally at home in this type of environment. Hopefully by giving them confidence and introducing them to other like-minded folk they may even progress further by going to the woodland themselves. For many of them the walk is the one time they can come along, enjoy the woodland and have a blether with the other walkers. At the end of our walk we have a refreshment at one of the picnic tables in the woodland, weather permitting, or inside the shelter if not.

The group is now averaging at twelve regulars per week and sometimes includes patients from Huntleyburn hospital. Walkers turn up even in the worst weather imaginable. They get their

treesurv@fastmail.netwww.treesurv.co.uk

Darnick Walkers

Operation Biodiversity

Earlston ASDAN - Pond Survey at

Gordon CW

What about a walk in the woods?

waterproofs on and battle on regardless. The walk forms a regular routine for many of them and continues to be of valuable benefit to them all. Thanks go to Paths for All and Forestry Commission Scotland for helping to fund the project.

Lisa Brydon

Planting season this year has been much easier weather-wise than 2010/11, with only a couple of weeks of frozen ground and trees. We have been working with Cheviot Futures on a site at Venchen Farm between Kirk Yetholm and Town Yetholm where we have planted 2400 trees along the Bowmont water. When established, this planting will reduce the speed water enters the river, helping to reduce flood events downstream, stabilise the gravel and increase organic matter in the water, improving the food supply for fish fry.

Planting work at Broadgairhill, is coming to an end for the 2011/12 planting season. The new method of marking out the different woodland types within the site has worked well, although we are going to use coloured fluorescent tape rather than painted stakes next year. It is surprising how difficult a bright pink stake is to pick out across hill ground. The fluttering of the tape in the wind should make it much easier to pick out from across the hill.

The Forest Habitats Network project has reached a conclusion with nine Statements of Intent for New Native Woodland schemes submitted to the SRDP grant scheme. We hope to be able to work with the landowners to develop these into full proposals with the aim of fencing in the summer and planting in 2012/13 season.

George Moffat unfortunately broke his ankle in December and has subsequently been off work. This has stretched us a little, but Keith Threadgall from Real Wood Studios has stepped in to help out with planting work and supervision of our three young Woodland Maintenance workers. George recently returned to BFT and he will start off with a few hours helping out in the office, gradually building up until his ankle is strong enough to go out onto the hills.

Our three Woodland Maintenance workers are gaining skills and experience while doing valuable work on sites and around the BFT yard as part of the Woodland Work Experience project (part-funded by Scottish Borders LEADER 2007-2013 Programme). Funded by the Community Jobs Scotland scheme, Guy Thomson and Brian Wallace will both finish their placements at the beginning of April and it is hoped they will go on to find work locally. Chris Kali from Hawick joined us at the beginning of January and Ryan Parker, from Jedburgh will be with BFT for ten weeks under a Skills Development Scotland programme. Chris and Ryan will be with us into the early summer and will spend the warmer months strimming paths and undertaking site maintenance after the planting season has finished for another year.

Tim Frost

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Real Wood Studios continues to build on its reputation as the Borders’ foremost destination for bespoke furniture and other wood products. This innovative enterprise is equipped to harvest trees, process them and turn them into just about anything from a dining room table to a chopping board. Furniture makers Neil Norris, Stephen Finch and Graham Murdoch were recently involved in an ambitious architect-designed house in Peebles, Plummers Knowe, where they created a unique selection of doors, screens and other furniture designed to show off the beauty of our native woods. At the other end of the scale, fireplace mantels have been a big seller over winter – each one is unique and shows off the characteristics of the tree it came from. If you haven’t visited the workshop and showroom before why not pop down for a visit this year? In the meantime, find out more at www.realwoodstudios.com

Projects Great and SmallWe are often asked how we decide which species of tree to plant on a new site. For all sites we make several visits to get to know the landscape. Factors considered during these visits include altitude, topography, geology and pedology (soil type), aspect and what other woodland types are growing close to the site. For larger sites we have a National Vegetation Classification (NVC) survey undertaken by a qualified ecologist who specialises in botany. This gives us a record of the existing vegetation types on the site and tells us which woodland type is best suited to which area. The site is mapped and zoned, also highlighting areas of important existing vegetation with perhaps some rare species and also areas of deep peat that should not have trees planted on it.

This information is used in conjunction with recommendations from Forestry Commission Bulletin 112, Creating New Native Woodlands, ensuring that we choose an appropriate species mix. Woodland Types BFT regularly plants include NVC woodland type W9, an Upland mixed Broadleaved Woodland, which has ash, downy birch and rowan as major species supplemented by much lower percentages of species such as sessile oak, alder, holly, aspen and bird cherry. We also plant W11/W17 woodland, an Upland Oak-Birch Woodland which has sessile oak, and downy birch as major species and rowan, holly, aspen, hawthorn, hazel and some juniper planted as minor species. NVC woodland W4 is a wetter woodland type, and has downy birch as a major species, supplemented with willow species and alder.

Next, and this can be a matter of days, weeks or months down the line, the tree numbers are calculated and ordered from the nursery, ensuring that stock is of local provenance. When they are delivered it is then down to the planters to use their knowledge and skill to decide exactly where each tree goes, as there will be drier and wetter areas, areas of more fertile soils and poorer soils. This ensures our new native woodland gets off to the best possible start.

Tim Frost

Which Trees Go Where?

Native Woodland Planting and Management

New planting and natural regeneration at Broadgairhill

Regenerating oak woodland

in Berwickshire

Plummers Knowe

Elm Mantel

Recently I have suffered a bereavement, and that coupled with the imminent arrival of ‘Mini-BFTer’ number three has had the rather unsurprising effect of me pondering what mark I’ll make on this world before I shuffle off this mortal coil, or perhaps more importantly, what legacy I’ll leave for future generations to come. One of the things I love about working at Borders Forest Trust is the pride I can take in telling my children that I have, in some small part, helped to sustain and develop the landscape and environment that they and hopefully their offspring will live in.

As some of you are well aware, our membership is a strong one. Time after time you have donated your skills, energy, spare time and hard earned money to our projects throughout Southern Scotland. Our 15th Anniversary Appeal in particular proved how committed you are to continuing to support us, which, in the current financial climate, is more important than ever. We are constantly overwhelmed by your generosity, and are so grateful for your consistent and continuing support.

This year, we would like to continue to celebrate the work we do by asking our members, volunteers, partnership organisations, staff and trustees, to share their thoughts, feelings and memories on the last fifteen years of the Trust with us. What have been the highlights? What could we be doing to improve upon what we’ve already achieved? Are there any particular moments that stand out where we made a difference to you, your family or your community?

We will be issuing a survey to you all in the forthcoming months to gather your comments and memories. Utilising what we receive, the aim is to compile a booklet celebrating the work of the Trust, benchmarking how far we have come, and hopefully garnering your support in our plans for the future. Legacy donations are something that the Trust depends on hugely to continue our work in the long-term, (a postcard has been included should this be of interest to you) and the booklet will help reflect and highlight why supporting Borders Forest Trust in such a way is paramount to our vision and aims. Please help us by sharing your thoughts and memories, and let’s leave future generations with a landscape they will cherish.

Sarah Anderson

Living Memories – Let your Legacy grow with BFT

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Borders Forest Trust Membership/Donation Form

If you’re reading this and you’re not a BFT member, why not sign up and make a lasting contribution to our work? If you are a member, please pass on to a friend!

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2012 marked the beginning of a new chapter at Corehead Farm, with Site Manager Phil Roe joining BFT to lead the project through its next stages of development. Here he shares his experience so far.

I have been in post for two months now, having moved up from Bolton near Manchester, and am currently living and breathing in Moffat, close to the project. I am a forester and human ecologist having experience in Scotland and India and previous roles include working as a Ranger for Bury Council and as a Woodland Creation Champion for the Woodland Trust. While in India I managed rural forestry projects to help restore wastelands and ‘green’ the Indian Desert, developing participatory rural appraisal techniques for the poorest of the poor. The challenge of the multidisciplinary management role at Corehead Farm, applying the principles of ecological restoration to native woodland and connecting it to the wider landscape through habitat conservation and community involvement, is well suited to my background.

It has been a busy couple of months so far at Corehead and the native woodland planting in Whitehope is nearly completed, with 40.43 hectares covered. This contains the full range of woodland types from wet to oak-birch to juniper montane scrub. Volunteers have also continued to show lots of enthusiasm and are doing a great job of planting at the Coreknowe site. In addition to the planting work a new deer fence has been completed and runs for six kilometres

Changes at Corehead Farmenclosing both the Whitehope and Lochan Burn valleys.

Work has begun on a number of exciting new projects and an education pond is currently under construction with a further three wildlife pond scrapes to be completed in the coming weeks. They cover a combined area of approximately 2500m2 and a dipping platform will be added to the educational pond, giving visitors the chance to see the pondlife up close.

Corehead is developing as a site for educational work and we recently had a visit by a group of forestry students from the University of Bangor. They were able see habitat restoration at first hand – for some it was inspirational! Moffat Academy has also started a close collaboration with Life Skills groups and is due to start tree planting and drystone dyking in the near future.

Two fruit orchard sites are being fenced and will soon become home to the first 200 apple (both dessert and cookers) and plum trees. The varieties that have been chosen are all Scottish so should be well suited to the conditions and will hopefully provide a good crop in years to come. Planting work will be carried out by volunteers who will hopefully return to share in the harvest.

Wild bird cover is a crop mixture which is left unharvested over winter, providing a food source for seed eating farmland birds. At Corehead we are fencing off an area in preparation for wild bird cover crops and the cultivation is being

carried out by vintage tractors. The seed mix will include oats, triticale, fodder radish, mustard, linseed and red clover and it will be interesting to see what birds become regular visitors to the farm. Many thanks to the Corehead project’s funders, who include SNH, The Tubney Charitable Trust and Dumfries & Galloway LEADER 2007-13 Programme.

Finally, BFT has moved to a new office in Moffat. You can find us at the Moffat Initiative, 1 Ladyknowe, Moffat DG10 9DY. Tel: 01683 220227.

Pond creation at Corehead Farm

Fruit trees - coming soon to Corehead Farm

Volunteer planters creating a forest at Corehead

Scots pine in Bowmont Forest. Photo - Mark Hirst

The Borders Forest Trust...rooted in the community

Registered Office and Mailing Address:Monteviot Nurseries, Ancrum, Jedburgh, TD8 6TU

Borders Forest Trust is a Company Limited by GuaranteeRegistered in Scotland No. SC162581Scottish Charity No. SC024358

Tel: 01835 830 750www.bordersforesttrust.orgenquiries@bordersforesttrust.org

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of Borders Forest Trust

Published by Borders Forest TrustApril 2012

StaffInterim Director: John HuntProject Manager: Nicola HuntWoodland Officer: George MoffatCommunity Liaison & Education Officer: Anna CraigenCommunity Woodlands Officer: Lisa BrydonFinance Officer: Sandra Smith-MaxwellCommunications & Fundraising Officer: Louisa FinchOffice Manager: Sarah AndersonWoodland Site Manager: Tim Frost

PatronRory Bremner

TrusteesPhilip AshmoleMichael BakerNeil CampbellRose ClarksonRosalind Grant-RobertsonJohn HuntMichael IrelandJim KnightDonald McPhillimyBrenda RobertsonAlex SmithStephanie Young

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Autumn leaves at Monteviot