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©Birse Community Trust 2007. All rights reserved.
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Slewdrum Forest |
B C T
Birse Trading Company Limited |
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SLEWDRUM FOREST – AN UPDATE October 2007 |
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This Update is the first in an occasional series of bulletins from the Trading Company (the commercial arm of BCT) which will be issued to all BCT Members. The purpose of the note is to provide information regarding our plans and to consult with the community, as appropriate.
In September the Trading Company sent out Invitations to Tender for the sale of standing timber to a number of local Timber Merchants. We are pleased to report that a contract has now been signed with the successful bidder (Cordiners Sawmills) and extraction operations are scheduled to commence in November, lasting for some three to four months, depending on weather conditions.
Timber operation signs will appear at strategic points around the forest and we ask that visitors to the area observe the instructions to ensure their safety. Coincidentally, the Forestry Commission will also be extracting timber from Blackhall Forest at about the same time, so please be aware.
Rest assured we will not be ‘clear felling’ large tracts of the forest, rather we will be undertaking selective thinning in order to encourage better growth of retained trees and will be taking care to preserve wildlife and environmentally sensitive habitats.
Our objective is to use the funds generated as a result of sales to enable us to continue to manage and improve BCT’s existing assets.
We have also received authorisation from the ‘Deer Commission for Scotland’ to undertake deer control within Slewdrum.
Looking ahead, we would like to start thinking about the longer-term management of Slewdrum. There are opportunities to improve access in the forest by linking existing tracks to form circular walks, and through the provision of viewpoints and interpretation. There is also considerable potential for habitat enhancement to benefit the varied biodiversity of the forest. We intend to consult widely to find out what members would like to see as part of our long-term Development Plan, and to look at the opportunities that may be available from the Scottish Government’s forthcoming Rural Development Contracts.
If you have any immediate queries or comments; please drop a note (or send an e-mail) to BCT’s office.
Brian Page (Chairman, Board of Directors). |
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