OUR HISTORY
1999 was a meaningful year for Knoydart with a sea change in land ownership and management. Not only did the, then 60 strong, community become the owner of 17,200 acres of land but they also set up the Knoydart Forest Trust to manage the woodlands on the Knoydart Estate to increase the resilience of the fragile natural and human resource resulting from a very checkered history of land ownership. The land, woodlands and community have been thriving ever since.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO
OUR AIMS
Working with landowners we aspire to link up the woodland habitat from Loch Nevis to Loch Hourn to create stepping stones for plants and wildlife which is very important for biodiversity and resilience.
- To enhance biodiversity, habitat resilience and mitigate against climate change through woodland creation and appropriate management
- To promote, develop and sustain local employment and economic activity
- To manage the forest by enhancing and expanding the native woodland and restructuring and diversifying the non-native woodland
- To create a locally useful timber resource
- To encourage public access and enjoyment of the woodlands
Working with landowners we aspire to link up the woodland habitat from Loch Nevis to Loch Hourn to create stepping stones for plants and wildlife which is very important for biodiversity and resilience.
OUR PLANS
Our work is guided by 20 year Woodland Management and Forest Plans which cover forestry, and social and economic activities. The plans are compiled through community and stakeholder consultation, networking with other woodland initiatives and research and are reviewed every 10 years. The current plans were reviewed in 2017.
The Forest Plan is part of the Woodland Management Plan 2017 to 2036 and forms the basis of our relationship with Scottish Forestry. Its focus is on felling and replanting, but it also includes woodland management activities such as public access, invasive species management and native woodlands. The map below gives an overview of the plan for the next 20 years:
Our work is guided by 20 year Woodland Management and Forest Plans which cover forestry, and social and economic activities. The plans are compiled through community and stakeholder consultation, networking with other woodland initiatives and research and are reviewed every 10 years. The current plans were reviewed in 2017.
The Forest Plan is part of the Woodland Management Plan 2017 to 2036 and forms the basis of our relationship with Scottish Forestry. Its focus is on felling and replanting, but it also includes woodland management activities such as public access, invasive species management and native woodlands. The map below gives an overview of the plan for the next 20 years:
The Woodland Management Plan (including the Forest Plan) forms the basis of Management Agreements between KFT and landowners, and includes activities such as housing, development of income streams, Forest Workshop and locals action plans.
The development of social and economic activities are essential to ensure the resilience of our community and woodlands into the future. How they develop depends on the availability of resources - financial and human. Availability of affordable accommodation for workers is a significant challenge.
OUR TRADING SUBSIDIARY - WOOD KNOYART CIC
We set up Wood Knoydart CIC in 2013 to enable us to diversify our activities and reinvest in the woodland and the local economy.
WOOD KNOYDART undertakes a variety of contract work and has developed range of high quality wood products.
Wood Knoydart works with neighbouring landowners to help manage their woodlands and create new woodlands. This helps to achieve the vision of linking up the woodland habitat across the peninsula to increase the resilience of the woodland, increase biodiversity and sequester carbon.
The development of social and economic activities are essential to ensure the resilience of our community and woodlands into the future. How they develop depends on the availability of resources - financial and human. Availability of affordable accommodation for workers is a significant challenge.
OUR TRADING SUBSIDIARY - WOOD KNOYART CIC
We set up Wood Knoydart CIC in 2013 to enable us to diversify our activities and reinvest in the woodland and the local economy.
WOOD KNOYDART undertakes a variety of contract work and has developed range of high quality wood products.
Wood Knoydart works with neighbouring landowners to help manage their woodlands and create new woodlands. This helps to achieve the vision of linking up the woodland habitat across the peninsula to increase the resilience of the woodland, increase biodiversity and sequester carbon.
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DEVELOPING COMMUNITY PEOPLE & MARKETS
A film made as part of the Making Local Woods Work Project Made in 2018 this short films gives some insight into what we do and want to do in the future and some stunning footage of the land.
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