Woodland creation ices the A83 cake

Work to protect the A83 at the Rest and be Thankful has been given a boost thanks to 160,000 trees planted by Forestry and Land Scotland.

The tree planting, funded by Transport Scotland, was carried out in 2023/24 across 800,000 square metres of hillside that had been purchased by Transport Scotland as part of the overall project to protect the carriage way from landslips.

The woodland creation to help consolidate the hillside supplements the major engineering works that have been carried out by Transport Scotland, including installing catch netting, catch pits and creation of an emergency diversion using the Old Military Road.

James Hand, FLS’ Operations Forester in the area, said;

“It’s generally accepted that trees help stabilise steep slopes by binding and anchoring the soil with their roots, and over time, the trees that we have planted will make a big difference to the integrity of the hillside

“Woodland creation also provides wider benefits in terms of landscape, habitats and carbon sequestration.

“We’ve used a good mix of species, including sessile oak, Downy birch, aspen, blackthorn, hawthorn, Common alder and Scots pine. We’ve sourced as many as possible from local areas so that they are adapted for the current local environment and are most likely to be resilient to a changing climate in the future.

“This will contribute to the scenic value of the National Park but will also be good for biodiversity by, for example, increasing the amount of prey species that sustain Golden Eagles, providing cover for prey species and Black Grouse, and protecting water quality and riparian habitats, especially those associated with spawning salmonids.”

FLS is in the process of creating additional woodland on land it manages on either side of the Transport Scotland ground to further boost the overall benefits from the project.

Angus Corby, Transport Scotland’s Landscape and Biodiversity Manager, said;

“The project to deliver the planting above the A83 through Glen Croe has taken considerable effort over a sustained period of time, with a number of challenges to overcome along  the way. It has demonstrated the benefits of good partnership working and communication across different organisations towards a common aim.

“The resulting planting will support the adjacent engineering works and help project the trunk road from the impacts of future landslides that frequently occur in this area. In addition, the native woodland creates valuable habitat, enhances the local biodiversity, and provides ecological connectivity within the wider area.”

Deer fencing was erected around the whole hill in 2022, to protect the young trees from browsing damage from deer and sheep.

Notes to Editors

1. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
2. Home - Forestry and Land Scotland | twitter.com/ForestryLS
3. Media enquiries to Paul Munro, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 07785 527590 or paul.munro@forestryandland.gov.scot