Glen Doll & Glen Prosen Land Managemenet Plan

Dave Windle

FLS carried out a consultation on important aspects that should be included in their forthcoming land management plan as they combine the newly purchased Glen Prosen Forest with the existing Glen Doll Forest. Here is our reply.

Proposed Glen Doll key features map © Forestry and Land Scotland

We believe that the Plan needs to address the following factors:

• The plan should specifically address the control of deer numbers. We agree that FLS has a good record in this area. Providing clarity on the costs involved in both fencing and stalking will help take the national debate on deer management forward.
• The plan needs to specify areas where natural regeneration will be encouraged and no planting will take place. It is now known that the process of planting can release a large quantity of carbon embodied in the soil, negating the benefit of carbon sequestered by the growing tree.
• The plan needs to specify where native broadleaved trees will be grown, preferably by natural regeneration.
• The area shown on the marked up plan will contain substantial deposits of deep peat. These need to be surveyed and allocated for peatland restoration and not forestry.
• The plan should consider alternative tree harvesting regimes to avoid the eyesores associated with clear felling. Toast rack felling still allows for machine harvesting while avoiding large scale clear felling. If this is more expensive, how much more?
• The plan should address measures to increase tree resilience to high winds. Climate change models agree that future weather will be stormier. A well-designed forest should reduce wind throw.
• The plan needs to specify archaeological sites to ensure that no trees are planted in such areas.
• The plan should identify where forest tracks are needed both for ongoing management and for later timber extraction and also reference appropriate design standards.. We assume that such tracks will be minimised both to save public money and to reduce landscape effects.
• The recent catastrophic flooding in Brechin, caused by Storm Babet, has highlighted that the area in the plan has an important role to play in reducing peak run-off entering the River South Esk. Generally, tree growth has a positive effect but this needs to be specifically addressed.

NEMT would be pleased to advise on public notices, which we assume will be erected to explain changes in land management and/or access arrangements.

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