Tentsmuir Land Management Plan

Most of the land was acquired by the Forestry Commission in the 1920s and planted predominantly with Scots pine and Corsican pine. There are still a few sites where the first rotation of pines planted between 1922 and 1925 have been retained. Much of the forest is managed using a continuous cover forestry approach.

In addition to commercial forestry, careful management has created an interesting mixture of open space, ponds, trees and sand dunes that are rich in wildlife and popular for recreation. The coastline surrounding the forest also has a number of local, national and international designations which influence the management of the forest. The site and the coastline also contain a number of heritage features and Scheduled Monuments, including numerous World War II coastal defences.

The revised land management plan was approved on 3 August 2026 and will expire on 3 August 2036. The plan includes the areas affected by Storm Arwen in 2021 along the north coast of Tentsmuir and Morton Lochs.