Tuesday, 09 January 2018
For many of us, the start of a new year means making resolutions to get fit and active, and spend more time enjoying the outdoors. A little forward planning can help you stick to your new exercise programme – and the advantages of exercising outdoors cannot be overstated. With no costly gym memberships to worry about, and all of Scotland’s breathtaking natural beauty to explore, gett...
Monday, 08 January 2018
Galloway Forest Park – the largest Forest Park in Britain – is set to star in a new BBC One Scotland documentary series on Monday 8 January at 19.30. Filmed over six months, The Forest, follows all the different people and timber related organisations that benefit from Galloway Forest Park, showcasing how the National Forest Estate delivers and supports so many aspects of li...
Wednesday, 27 December 2017
This week marks the start of our annual Christmas Tree sale at forests and visitor centres across Scotland, with the grand opening of Tyrebagger Christmas Tree Sales Centre, on Thursday 29 November (pictured - keen customers, taking their tree to the till!), and all of our other centres open on 1 December or soon after. Check here to find a centre near you. Our staff a...
Thursday, 07 December 2017
Have you bought a beautiful, natural Christmas Tree from us this year? Share the love on social media - once your tree is safely home and decorated to perfection, take a picture with your loved ones and share it with us on Twitter using the hashtag #ShowUsYourBaubles.
Monday, 04 December 2017
As Scotland moves towards a single system of registration for land and property titles, work progresses on adding all of the National Forest Estate (NFE) to the Land Register. In May 2014 Scottish Ministers requested the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland to complete the Land Register and gave a commitment to ensure that all public land would be registered within 5 years. The land register...
Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Having a healthy relationship with the outdoors is an absolutely vital part of a child’s life. Outdoor play promotes good health, natural curiosity and environmental awareness, while providing an exciting alternative to more sedentary activities. In a world increasingly saturated with passive entertainment media and electronic distractions, the Forestry Commission want to help kids get back to...
Tuesday, 28 November 2017
Photo: Prayer of The Woods by Charles Dawley (Creative Commons) Walking through the forests and national parks of North America, at some point you are bound to come across a version of the ‘Prayer of the Woods’. Usually carved on a plaque at the entrance to a forest trail, the ‘prayer’ takes the form of a short poem presented as an anonymous work. While its most common title is ‘Praye...
Monday, 27 November 2017
The Tree Council’s nation-wide celebration of National Tree Week (25 Nov- 3 Dec) is fast approaching. At the start of November, the Council and dozens of partner organisations and charities got together to create The Tree Charter, or to give it its full title, The Charter for Woods, Trees and People. A mini-manifesto of sorts, the Charter is intended to help communities, individuals and trees ...
Friday, 24 November 2017
Interested in learning forestry skills such as tree planting, felling and organising community recreation events? Forest Enterprise Scotland is looking for eight new Modern Apprentices to begin a career in forestry. Based in the south of Scotland, the successful apprentices will receive on the job experience and training with a Forest Enterprise Scotland team, backed with further skills provided ...
Wednesday, 08 November 2017
The Skye community are the first to acquire land under the Community Asset Transfer Scheme (CATS). CATS was set up to implement the new rights for communities under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to purchase, lease or use National Forest Estate land if it provides benefits to the local community. Minginish Community Hall Association (MCHA) have purchased 12.3ha at the Fairy Pools C...
Tuesday, 07 November 2017
A Tay Raptor Study Group member has made the exciting discovery of a Hen Harrier’s nest on the National Forest Estate in Highland Perthshire. Tay Forest District’s environment team was delighted with the find and helped to coordinate the protection and monitoring of these raptors with the ringing and satellite tagging of the chicks when they hatched.
Tuesday, 19 September 2017
The Large Pine Beetle (Hylobius abietis) is the most significant pest in Scottish forestry, feeding on the stems of young trees on restock sites, often causing serious damage or death of the tree. Populations of Hylobius are large enough in some areas of Scotland to devastate a high proportion of a restock site. The management of Hylobius is a key thread running through the new Forest Enter...
Monday, 18 September 2017
One of our most challenging projects is the felling of nearly 100 year old trees on steep slopes high above the A82 between Glencoe and Inverness. The operations will help to improve the resilience of the A82 against unplanned road closures as a result of extreme weather or storm events.
Friday, 15 September 2017
We have a rich heritage of capturing the landscape in verse. From antiquity to the present, it’s been the sparking flint to a poet’s imagination. It fuels the pens that capture our fascination and communion with natural world. Whether you're stuck inside, or want inspiration for your next trip, cinematic nature poetry can bring the outside to you. Read on to discover ...