Woodland Projects for the Pentland Hills
13 October 2009

The Pentland Hills Regional Park will be the focus for two new woodland initiatives aimed at improving the amenity and biodiversity of the Park.

The proposed projects are at the western and eastern ends of the park. The first project is at Harperrig Reservoir and is being taken forward in collaboration with a local land manager and local residents along with West Lothian Council, Pentland Hills Regional Park Service, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Central Scotland Forest Trust. The proposal is to create a new Local Nature Reserve (LNR) on the site which would include scope for the potential creation of 8 – 9 ha of new woodlands that will provide shelter for livestock and strengthen some remnant woodland lantations.

The second proposed scheme covers woodlands at Bonaly Country Park which are managed by the City of Edinburgh Council. The Council are in the process of developing a WIAT (Woodlands in and Around Towns) application to improve the management of woodlands with Bonally. The woodlands currently form a pleasant backdrop to the reservoirs but have considerably greater potential to provide a local resource for wildlife and people.

Pentland Hills Regional Park Manager, Alan Macgregor, said “ We are very pleased to see actions being taken forward which will improve and enhance the Park’s woodlands. In future, we believe there is scope to adopt a more strategic approach which could benefit the development of the wider forest habitat network. The possibility exists to provide enhanced networks linking the Forestry Commission’s plantations at Camilty and West Cairns right through to Hillend. This would be a significant aspiration for the future”.

ELFHNP is keen to endorse such an approach and is already taking forward a similar partnership of interested landowners and stakeholders in the Esk Valley, focusing on Roslin Glen.

For further information, please contact:

Ian Whitehead
Edinburgh & Lothians Forest Habitat Network Officer
Tel: 0131 654 1933
Email: ian@elfhnp.org.uk