Scottish Community Land Network

Welcome to the Scottish Community Land Network

You're seeing this message because you are a visitor - it disappears when you log in!

This site is for people interested in the management and ownership of land-based assets by communities in Scotland. A Scottish Community Land Network, you might say... As you know the internet is a big 'place' with everything about anything so we aim to bring you relevant news and events, and provide opportunities to share ideas with other people interested in this subject. So far there are over 800 members, and more than 500 articles in our archive.

We hope you will join the network so that you can share your views, experiences and aspirations of owning and managing land-based assets.

You can join for FREE - all you need is a valid email address. You'll receive a monthly email digest of news and views from the network, and get access to all the interactive features of this site, which show up when you log in.

The most recent articles are available on the home page - previous articles are in their relevant topic areas (browse the 'Topics' menu on the left).

Woodland and Forestry

Community woodland begin to see the wood for the trees

User Rating:

/ 0

Details: Monday, 29 March 2010 13:53 landgirl Hits: 508

Work has commenced on the construction of a 17km timber haulage route which will allow hundreds of thousands of tonnes of previously landlocked timber to reach market, enabling an island community organisation to generate much needed income.

North West Mull Community Woodland Company (NWMCWC) successfully purchased the forests of Langamull and West Ardhu in Dervaig, Mull, from Forestry Commission Scotland in 2006 under the National Forest Land Scheme. Since then, directors and staff have been working towards mapping out and funding a suitable route, which will run from Langamull through to join the C46, enabling large loads of felled timber to be transported to market.

The Company aims to create local social and economic development opportunities in the small community, including housing, woodland crofts and access improvements, and progress is already being made towards these. In addition a number of environmental projects will conserve the area’s biodiversity and improve education and awareness. They are already working with local schools through their forest school project in the woodland and are developing plans for a bird hide are also in the making.

Colin Morrison, Chairman of NWMCWC, said “The Board of NWMCWC are relieved to finally be making a start on our road. It makes a huge difference to the potential for success of the overall project. Ian Hepburn, our development manager, has been central to making this happen and without his enthusiasm, tenacity and perseverance we would have struggled. With the road under way, the Board can now give more attention to taking forward the rest of our plans. It is very exciting to be in this position and I hope we can now really start delivering tangible benefits to the community of North West Mull.”

The road project is a joint initiative between NWMCWC, the Forestry Commission, the Scottish Strategic Timber Transport Scheme and Argyll and Bute Council. A number of local landowners have supported the project by allowing free passage of the route across their ground.

For more information on North West Community Woodland Company, visit their website www.nwmullwoodland.co.uk