Aberdeenshire Primary wins a 'Tree Oscar'
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A forest for the future, designed to help in the fight against climate change, a young farmer mixing trees and pigs, and a community woodland in a country park were all honoured at the Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards 2023.
Coupled with a special award for forestry which balanced commercial aims with biodiversity and the wider environment, as well as a woodland planted in memory of a lost family member and some fine examples of schools and early years projects, the ceremony celebrated all that is good about Scotland’s forests and woodlands.
This year’s winner of the prestigious CarbonStore trophy for Climate Change Champion was The Future Forest Company Ltd for Dumyat, near Stirling.
They have produced a “multi-use forest for the future”, with the main objectives of carbon sequestration, enhancing biodiversity and providing for communities, both now and for years to come.
There is a total planting area of 184 ha with over 340k trees, and an avoidance of monoculture with the use of 18 different species of tree, as well as plans to introduce wildflower meadows to increase biodiversity.
Fordyce Primary School near Portsoy in Aberdeenshire took home the Crown Estate Scotland Schools’ Trophy.
The judges summed up the tireless work of the pupils and staff: “The project was multifaceted and included the Fordyce Plantation project where the pupils worked with the local estate in an area of forestry adjacent to the school to identify and map the Badger setts for forest management purposes.
“The pupils also planted a woodland in the school grounds as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy Project. What shone out was the pupils’ voice in driving the school improvement journey and their investment in and enthusiasm for the projects. A well-deserved winner.”
Head Teacher Lesley Mair said:“Everyone at Fordyce Primary School is over the moon to have won Scotland’s Finest Woods Award 2023 and receiving the Crown Estate Scotland Trophy.
“We entered two submissions in our application. The first aspect of our submission took part over eight weeks where we took part in a badger sett location mapping project with Seafield and Strathspey Estate through our STEAM curriculum.
“The pupils learned how to identify the signs of a badger sett, use a variety of technology tools including GPS, a night vision binocular and motion sensor cameras, and locate them on a series of maps.
“This provided our pupils with a real ‘Developing the Young Workforce’ experience in their local context.
“The second aspect of our submission involved taking part in the Queen’s Green Canopy during her Platinum Jubilee Celebration.
“We were invited to take part by the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire and the pupils planted 115 trees and eight fruit trees in our school grounds and were joined on the day by Vice Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire Patricia Seligman.
“As the Head Teacher of this amazing wee school, I am so proud of everyone’s efforts and achievements in winning this award and thank you to Will Anderson from Seafield and Strathspey and to the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire for giving our school these opportunities.”
A brilliant example of agroforestry using pigs won David Carruth the Scottish Woodlands Ltd. Trophy for Young People for his work at at Brodoclea, Dalry, North Ayrshire for The Future Forest Company Ltd.
The judges praised the “innovation being shown in establishing this enterprise” while David told them he works with a herd of 163 Mangalitza pigs on the forest floor. David added: “The local ecology responds well to the pigs as they create opportunities for birds, invertebrates and small mammals. We monitor biodiversity onsite through conducting surveys and recording our observations.
“For the pigs, the constant access to fresh foliage means that I only supply them with 3% of their total diet through summer months. They are healthier and happier because they have large social circles and can constantly engage with the woodland.”
Winner of the Large Community Woodland Group competition and of the Tim Stead Trophy for the overall Community Woodland Award were Friends of Almondell & Calderwood with West Lothian Council for Almondell Woods at Almondell & Calderwood Country Park.
They delivered rejuvenation and restoration projects within the boundaries of the old Almondell Estate, restoring a 19th century walled garden with building work and the planting of fruit trees to demonstrate heritage cultivation methods. There is now also a community heritage trail around 9 historic features dating from 1790’s, as well some great woodland management.
Winner of the Dulverton Flagon, an occasional award given at the judges’ discretion for a successful balance between commercial forestry and competing objectives was Ardachuple, in a National Scenic Area at the Kyles of Bute, Cowal.
The work saw them establish a productive crop using sound silviculture. At the same time they developed biodiversity for the benefit of wildlife and raptors, and enhanced habitat where possible existing native woodlands.
The winner of the Woodland Trust Scotland Trophy for New Native Woods was Martyn's Wood, Crannich, Isle of Mull.
It was planted in memory of Martyn Osmond, the nephew of owner Robin Sedgwick, who passed away as a result of a tragic accident on January 1, 2009, at the age of just 21. Robin told the judges: “We felt planting this woodland at a time of great sadness would turn a negative situation into a positive ‘living’ future.”
The winner of the Scottish Forestry Early Years’ Trophy was Bushcraft Bairns at Comrie Croft, Perthshire who created a Forest School setting that nurtures connection with nature through play.
The judges praised the use of “waste wood materials from the nearby wedding venue to build structures in the wood, to rooting the entire programme within the curriculum.” They said the result was “a magical woodland space for young people to grow in and learn about trees and woodlands”.
Jean Nairn, Executive Director of Scotland’s Finest Woods, said: “Once again, Scotland has excelled itself in producing some world-beating examples of forestry and woodland, not least in the important sphere of climate change.
