Scootmore Land Management Plan

We are currently carrying out a Land Management Plan (LMP) revision to help us determine future management proposals for Scootmore.

An LMP details how we intend to manage our land over the coming 10 years, indicates our vision for the next decades and ensures compliance with industry legislations and guidance.

The new plan will set out future management objectives and will give approval for felling, thinning and restocking operations. Through the new plan we want to continue to ensure the social, economic and ecological benefits the forest block provides.

The current stage of the plan is the consultation stage in which we ask stakeholders to review the draft maps which can be found below and feed back any questions or concerns they have.

Scootmore is a well-established and productive forest prominently sited in the valley of the River Spey southwest of Charlestown of Aberlour. (See Map 1 - Location). The forest covers a total area of 458ha. The forest is predominantly coniferous, dominated by plantation origin Sitka Spruce and Scots Pine.

The forest is located between 150m and 300m above sea level and is very visible from the A95(T). It lies within the wider setting of Ballindalloch Castle, a popular visitor attraction and overlooks the River Spey. The woodland extends over two domed hill summits split by the valley of the Allt a’ Ghealliadh Burn, which feeds into the River Spey. Both these rivers have been designated as a SAC and the River Spey is as a valued salmon fishing river. The lower Spey valley also forms part of a Special Landscape Area(SPA), designated by Moray Council.  

The woodland also supports a number of nationally important species, including red squirrel and black grouse, and is a core capercaillie area, although there is no evidence of capercaillie at present.

The revised plan will address issues around water quality and forest stability. It will furthermore aim to maximise the area of continuous cover forestry through continued thinning. Areas of under-thinned forest will however need to be clear-felled and the restock of these areas will pursue further age class and species diversification of the block to ensure a resilient forest in light of the changing climate.

On Wednesday 5 March a public consultation meeting was held to give background to the proposals. The plan is now being finalised prior to submission to the regulator, Scottish Forestry. Once checked by the regulator it will appear on their public register for a further 28 days.

• October 2024: scoping
• November/December 2024: draft plan completion
• February 2025: internal review
• March 2025: consultation
• March 2025: submission to Scottish Forestry for approval

• Scootmore LMP full text
• Map 1: location and viewpoints
• Map 2: current species
• Map 3: concept
• Map 4: management coupes
• Map 5: thinning coupes
• Map 6: future habitats and species
• Map 7: timber haulage
• Map 8: soils
• Map 9: historic environment
• Map 10: deadwood ecological potential
• Map 12: thinning approvals
• Appendix 3: tolerance table
• Appendix 4: restock prescriptions
• Appendix 5: visualisations
• Appendix 6: designated site plan
• Appendix 7: deer management plan