Tuesday, 09 October 2018
150 sacks of Sitka spruce cones and 72 sacks of Alaskan Lodgepole pine cones have been collected by hand to help provide seeds to sow as trees on the National Forest Estate.
Wednesday, 26 September 2018
A ‘secret’ population of butterflies has been found in the Trossachs. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly, which is now very rare in England and Wales, but more widely found in the north of Scotland, was thought to be locally extinct in the Trossachs.
Friday, 14 September 2018
The broch of Caisteal Grugaig overlooks Loch Alsh at Totaig. It was built around 2,000 years ago, part of an Iron Age settlement tradition of small defended homesteads found all along the Atlantic coast of Scotland. The word broch comes from the Norse ‘borg’, meaning fort. But although they protected their occupants, they also demonstrated land ownership and tenure. Brochs were built in places...
Sunday, 09 September 2018
There’s been some media interest in the use of chemicals in forestry and in particular on the National Forest Estate. We spoke to Jo Ellis, Forest Enterprise Scotland’s Acting Head of Land Management to find out a bit more about why, how and when chemicals are used to protect our young trees. Why do you need to use chemicals for tree planting? “It’s important that everyone understands t...
Monday, 03 September 2018
A key forest management operation for Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES) is thinning trees which creates better quality timber and makes the trees more resilient to pests and diseases. Thinning also opens up the tree canopy to encourage greater biodiversity and a more accessible forest. Not all forests can be thinned, as some are on soils, or at elevations where thinning would actually be detrimenta...
Thursday, 30 August 2018
Photo: Max Pixel Known in Japan as 'shinrin-yoku' which translates as "taking in the forest atmosphere" or "forest bathing" – was developed in Japan during the 1980s. It may sound simple, but forest bathing offers a timeless truth - time spent in a forest and amongst nature reduces stress and promotes a feeling of wellbeing. There is even a healthy body of research&n...
Thursday, 30 August 2018
Fresh water pearl mussels aren’t something you’d normally think about when you enter a forest. But most of the world’s remaining populations of fresh water pearl mussels live in rivers and streams in partially or wholly forested catchments. This means sustainable forest management has a pivotal role to play in conserving this globally threatened population. The FES North Highland Forest Dis...
Wednesday, 15 August 2018
At Forestry Commission destinations across Scotland, mountain bimountain bikingking is one of the most enduringly popular outdoor activities. Nothing beats the thrill of an adrenaline-charged downhill dash! Scottish mountain bikers and overseas visitors have a range of different challenges, terrains and organised races to choose from, right in their backyard, from Laggan Wolftraxx near Avi...
Monday, 13 August 2018
Newton Nursery in Morayshire is now managed by Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES). This will allow FES to take on full responsibility for its future plant and seed supply, including seed stands and orchards, seed collections, storage and sales.
Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Image: David Montieth-Hodge | Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society The Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe Festival is upon us! Your loyal friends at the FC Scotland blog are making their way through the crowds each morning to get to their desks at Silvan House, and bring you the news from Scotland’s forests. While we’d often rather be visiting a Forest Park or messing about in the woo...
Wednesday, 25 July 2018
Forest Parks are the jewel in the crown of Scotland's forests. Lush, verdant woodlands containing stunning areas of natural beauty rich in wildlife and plant species, our six Forest Parks play a vital role in the nation's economy, attracting visitors from all over the world. They are also at the heart of our communities, offering space for natural play, exercise, or leisure pursuits, from daily ...
Wednesday, 25 July 2018
Four more applications for communities to buy or lease parts of the National Forest Estate have been approved under the Community Asset Transfer Scheme (CATS).
Friday, 20 July 2018
An unusually large log was sourced from the National Forest Estate (NFE) to be converted into an Iron Age canoe, demonstrating the diversity and quality of timber grown on the NFE. A number of specialist timber customers seek quality, large dimension timber for a manner of conventional and sometimes unusual applications. Logs of the size requested by the School of Ancient Crafts in Edinburgh – ...
Friday, 13 July 2018
Forest Enterprise Scotland recently surveyed and investigated the farmstead of the Wee Bruach, a series of ruined late 18th century buildings, enclosures and corn drying kilns in Loch Ard ahead of harvesting operations. The buildings were identified as unusual by the Scottish Vernacular Buildings Group. However, trees were growing very close to the buildings, so we recorded the site in advance of ...