CREATING NEW WOODLANDS
Since 1999 we have planted over 600,000 trees!
Through community land ownership and management, and working with other landowners, KFT are working to regenerate the woodland on Knoydart. Our shared long term vision is to link woodland habitats across the peninsula from Loch Nevis to Loch Hourn, creating stepping stones for plants and wildlife. This will help to support biodiversity and resilience of the habitat and address climate change crisis, as well as provide many other benefits.
How we do it...
As woodland cover had declined over the years there is a lack of existing seed sources so we have to plant trees in order to expand the woodland. The planted trees need to be protected by temporary deer fencing because of the high deer density on the land. Once the woodlands are resilient enough the fences will be taken down.
How we do it...
As woodland cover had declined over the years there is a lack of existing seed sources so we have to plant trees in order to expand the woodland. The planted trees need to be protected by temporary deer fencing because of the high deer density on the land. Once the woodlands are resilient enough the fences will be taken down.
Woodland and planting design takes into account many factors including soil, location, access (public & woodland management), landscape, deer management. In areas where there is good access for woodland management woodland is designed to provide quality timber for future generations.
The White Gate new woodland was the first new bit of ground we have planted that had good enough access and soils to justify planting a timber crop. The planting was in two parts, the higher ground was planted with a native mixture including a lot of oak on the richer soil, a smaller area on the lower more accessible ground was planted with a mixture designed to produce locally useful timber at a locally useful scale.
We worked with Forest Research to design a planting pattern based on a form of planting developed in Germany called cluster planting. “Main crop” trees (eg oak) are planted close together in clusters and are surrounded by “trainer trees” that like to grow straight up (eg hornbeam). The idea is that this will encourage the main crop trees to grow straight and with small side branches. The ground between the clusters is planted with “nurse trees” that protect the clusters and provide a shorter term timber crop.
Since 2020 we have established 4 new woodlands - Mary Ann's and Coire Sgreucha, Ben's and New Abhain Bheag...a further 186hectares of woodland and 300,000 trees planted.
There are currently 1,025 hectares of community owned woodland on Knoydart - that's equivalent to 1,025 full size rugby pitches!
Come and explore....
The White Gate new woodland was the first new bit of ground we have planted that had good enough access and soils to justify planting a timber crop. The planting was in two parts, the higher ground was planted with a native mixture including a lot of oak on the richer soil, a smaller area on the lower more accessible ground was planted with a mixture designed to produce locally useful timber at a locally useful scale.
We worked with Forest Research to design a planting pattern based on a form of planting developed in Germany called cluster planting. “Main crop” trees (eg oak) are planted close together in clusters and are surrounded by “trainer trees” that like to grow straight up (eg hornbeam). The idea is that this will encourage the main crop trees to grow straight and with small side branches. The ground between the clusters is planted with “nurse trees” that protect the clusters and provide a shorter term timber crop.
Since 2020 we have established 4 new woodlands - Mary Ann's and Coire Sgreucha, Ben's and New Abhain Bheag...a further 186hectares of woodland and 300,000 trees planted.
There are currently 1,025 hectares of community owned woodland on Knoydart - that's equivalent to 1,025 full size rugby pitches!
Come and explore....
What's next...
We are working in partnership with Knoydart Foundation on the 3,000hectare Black Hills Habitat Regeneration Project which will restore the habitat by linking up the existing deer fences between Inverie and Inverguiserein with 2 or 3 short bits of new fence. This will enable deer in the Black Hills area (everything west of the Inverguiserain Track) to be managed separately from the wider peninsula. Knoydart Foundation have secured NatureScot Nature Restoration Fund support to put up the link fence and manage the deer to enable a cascade of positive changes.
This landscape scale ecological restoration includes elements of new woodland, peatland restoration and community regeneration and will increase biodiversity and the resilience of a full range of habitats, sequester carbon, enhance and diversify the landscape and support local livelihoods and the local economy.
Two initial areas in the Black Hills have been identified for new planting and are planned for 2023/24.
How you can help...
You can help these new woodlands to flourish by donating to our Plant KnoydarTrees campaign
We are working in partnership with Knoydart Foundation on the 3,000hectare Black Hills Habitat Regeneration Project which will restore the habitat by linking up the existing deer fences between Inverie and Inverguiserein with 2 or 3 short bits of new fence. This will enable deer in the Black Hills area (everything west of the Inverguiserain Track) to be managed separately from the wider peninsula. Knoydart Foundation have secured NatureScot Nature Restoration Fund support to put up the link fence and manage the deer to enable a cascade of positive changes.
This landscape scale ecological restoration includes elements of new woodland, peatland restoration and community regeneration and will increase biodiversity and the resilience of a full range of habitats, sequester carbon, enhance and diversify the landscape and support local livelihoods and the local economy.
Two initial areas in the Black Hills have been identified for new planting and are planned for 2023/24.
How you can help...
You can help these new woodlands to flourish by donating to our Plant KnoydarTrees campaign
