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...
Monday, 30 May 2022
After almost two years of COVID-19 delays, work is beginning on delivery of the Glentress Masterplan, including new mountain bike trails, walking trails and increased visitor car parking space. It’s exciting to see things finally happening on the ground. Over the next few months, we’ll be constructing trails and trail features and a new activity area. Robertson’s Construction, and expert tr...
Tuesday, 24 May 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. Good news is being received across the UK from osprey watchers at sites where chicks are beginning to hatch. Congratulations are due to Loch of the Lowes, Kielder, Rutland and Dyfed who all now have little hatched ospreys in their area. Expected hatching time first week of June for Mrs O and ...
Wednesday, 18 May 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. Mrs O and PW3 have had a few disturbances this week and have been seen looking skywards in alarm. PW3 has been hunkering down over the eggs, adopting a defensive, wings out posture and alarm calling. We cannot see what has caused the alarm and have to surmise that it is most likely another ospr...
Monday, 16 May 2022
Sitka spruce. It’s the most common productive tree in Britain. But why has this native of the pacific coast of North America become so widespread in NW Europe? In this article we look at where Sitka comes from, why it has been so widely adopted and what the future holds for it. Origins and statistics Sitka spruce is named after the community of Sitka in southeast Alaska. Its natu...
Friday, 13 May 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. Things seem to be progressing nicely at the Tweed Valley main nest site. We are happy to report there have not been any dramas so far this season. Mrs O and PW3 have three eggs in the nest and the long process of incubation is taking place. PW3 was very late back compared to Mrs O and she had t...
Monday, 09 May 2022
Tweed Valley Osprey Project Co-ordinator, Di Bennett, brings us the latest update from the nest. The 2022 Tweed Valley osprey season has finally begun. The Glentress Forest Wild Watch room is now open to the public and the main nest camera is streaming live images to the screen. Volunteers are back on duty and have started their shifts to monitor the action on camera, ready to zoom in a...
Tuesday, 03 May 2022
Scotland has a rich tapestry of stories, from natural history to ancient ruins, fierce battles to mysterious folklore. Such tales can be found scattered across our land and we’re excited to share some of them with you during the Year of Stories.
Wednesday, 20 April 2022
A riparian zone is the area of land along a river or burn. We plant native broadleaf trees along these zones to help with climate change and biodiversity, creating robust wildlife corridors that are not felled for timber. These important areas are fundamental for a range of projects boosting resilience in our forests. Some of their benefits include: Shade: broadleaf trees offer just the right ...
Friday, 08 April 2022
We have a range of all-abilities trails that generally have a uniform surface, are wider, and are marked with easy-to-follow signage. Our all-abilities trails are wide, generally have a uniform surface, and are marked with clear, easy to follow signage. Some destinations provide toilet facilities and Blue badge holders can park for free in any of our car parks. Learn more about ou...
Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Scotland’s forests are facing new threats from pests, diseases and a changing climate. In this article, we discuss what we’re doing to prepare our forests for an uncertain future. It’s difficult to prepare for a health threat when you don’t know what form the threat will take in the future. But that's what forest planners are trying to do right now. We don’t know which tree disease...
Monday, 28 March 2022
The breadth of work we undertake at Forestry and Land Scotland is immense. From planting and felling trees to habitat restoration, recreation facilities and a whole lot more. A recent trip to Loch Trool in Dumfries and Galloway shows the variety of our work, all in one view. 1. Natural regeneration Our job is to plant and grow trees. However, why plant when we can let nature...
Tuesday, 01 March 2022
Recently we delved into the process of collecting seeds to grow our trees. With 25 million trees planted in our forests every year, we need a lot of seeds. But what happens once we’ve got them? How do our seeds become forests? And how long does it take? It sounds strange, but unlike seeds for your garden, we don’t initially plant seeds where we want the tree to grow. Sowing seeds dire...