Thursday, 04 August 2022
There is no better time to get out and explore Scotland. We're home to stunning landscapes, great picnic locations, and outdoor playgrounds fit for the whole family. So, grab your suncream and hat and check out some of our favourite places to explore this summer. Culbin A vast and varied forest that's perfect for a family day out. Culbin has a range of activities. Take the Gra...
Tuesday, 02 August 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. The whole family at home All three chicks in the main osprey nest successfully fledged during the past week, each displaying varying degrees of confidence and skill. 20 July 2022 The first witnessed flight was on 20 July. We couldn’t see the ring number but the young osprey was wing flap...
Monday, 01 August 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. The whole family at the nest – a rare scene now At the main Tweed Valley Osprey nest this past week we have witnessed the growing independence of the chicks as they become young adults. They are now adult sized and all three can fly. Daily honing of their take-off and landing skills provide e...
Tuesday, 26 July 2022
Most people don’t consider archaeology when they think about forestry, but it’s an important part of our stewardship of Scotland’s national forests and land. We manage many interesting and important archaeological sites across Scotland and are finding and protecting more each year. This can involve creating detailed records of significant sites, developing conservation plans to ens...
Thursday, 14 July 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. On 12 July the osprey juveniles in the main nest were 44 days old and were fitted with their identity rings and satellite tags. Tony Lightley, an Environment and Heritage Forester for Forestry and Land Scotland, and David Anderson, an environmental consultant, visited the site to carry out the wor...
Tuesday, 05 July 2022
A unique arboretum on the west coast is helping foresters choose tree species that can withstand Scotland’s changing climate. Kilmun Arboretum was established in Dunoon in the 1930s as a living laboratory where forestry experts could test trees’ performance against the west coast’s weather. Over 260 tree species were planted there in very small plots. Some liked the Scottish weat...
Tuesday, 28 June 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. On 20 June the young osprey chicks in the main nest were seen panting in the heat and indulging in a few sibling squabbles. Nothing serious but those sharp beaks are weapons not to be ignored. It seems that to disengage in battle, osprey style, is to put your head right down almost into the nes...
Monday, 27 June 2022
Rachel Orchard is one of our Trees and Timber Apprentices working from our base in Durris, Aberdeenshire. As a newcomer to the forestry sector she has hit the ground running by winning the Lantra ALBAS award for Learner of the Year. After almost a year in the role, we asked Rachel to give us her thoughts on modern forestry, the challenges faced, and how young people can thrive in this industry. ...
Tuesday, 21 June 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. The Tweed Valley Osprey Project volunteers and staff from Forestry and Land Scotland held a celebratory get together for the first time since the pandemic began, on Friday 17 June. The reason for the celebration was the unveiling of a beautiful painting of osprey White Leg SS in the Glentress W...
Monday, 20 June 2022
They say you should plan your meals, but never a picnic - and this is doubly true in Scotland where, even during peak summer time, our weather can be changeable! Below, we've got suggestions for easy-to-access picnic spots near you, suggestions for snacks, main meals and drinks, and even some ideas for alternative activities and destinations in case it starts to rain cats and dogs. Find the per...
Wednesday, 15 June 2022
The damage caused by storms Arwen and Corrie could speed up efforts to restore a strip of land along the River South Esk and the White Water in Glen Doll, Angus. About a third of conifers on this site came down. These conifers would have been slowly removed in the next 30 – 40 years to widen and improve the riparian zone running through the forest. The recent storms have sped up this process...
Tuesday, 14 June 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. > A young chick hopping about in the nest This week, at the main nest in Tweed Valley, we have seen some very good sized brown trout being brought in to the nest by the male, PW3, for his family. The three chicks are doing very well and are being fed so tenderly by Mrs O. It is encouragi...
Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. The osprey chicks at the main Tweed Valley nest hatched a couple of days apart - two on 29 May and the third two days later. This small time gap makes a lot of difference in terms of physical appearance and stature of the youngest chick. It is quite obviously smaller and weaker than its older si...
Tuesday, 31 May 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. We have much to celebrate at the Tweed Valley Osprey Project this week because, on 29 May, Mrs O stood up on the main nest to reveal that two of her chicks had hatched. The third egg was still visible in the nest but the two wriggly little hatchlings were squirming about and probably feeling ve...