Glen Finart land management plan

The Glen Finart Land Management Plan was approved by Scottish Forestry on 7th June 2022 following consultation with a range of stakeholders and will be due for revision in 2032.

The plan area lies on the western shore of Loch Long, centred on Ardentinny, between Loch Goil, in the north, and Blairmore in the south. It includes Glen Finart itself, to the north west of Ardentinny, and Gairletter Glen to the south. The plan area covers 2600ha, about 45% of which is open hill ground. The woodlands are concentrated on the steep, often rocky and craggy, slopes which rise from the loch and glens to summits at over 600m. Typically the treeline is between 300m and 350m elevation reaching up to 400m on Blairmore Hill. The area is within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and forms part of the impressive backdrop to the entrance to the River Clyde.

Conifers for commercial timber production were first planted in the 1920s and 1930s, and, although a number of species are to be found, Sitka spruce dominates, covering 968ha (almost 70%) of the woodland area. Much of the woodland is now in its second rotation but some of the older stands remain and over 20% of the woodland is over 60 years of age. There are also extensive areas of ancient semi-natural woodland and total broadleaved cover (including some non-native species) amounts to 215ha (16% of the woodland area).

Although timber production will remain an objective for the area another key aspiration is to enhance, restore and potentially extend the native woodlands. This, and the maintenance of species diversity in the area immediately around Ardentinny, will have a positive impact on both landscape and recreation interest. In the light of the continuing spread of Ramorum disease in larch, proposals for removing this species during the plan period will also be outlined.

Text

• Summary of the plan (PDF) - brief outline of main proposals
• Glen Finart Land Management Plan (PDF) - full text of the plan.
• Certificate of approval (PDF) - includes approval letter and conditions

Maps

• Location map (PDF) - shows plan area and regional context
• M1 Analysis and concept (PDF) - main issues and how they will be addressed
• M2 Management zones (PDF) - summarises broad management objectives
• M3 Management (PDF) - illustrates the proposed felling sequence
• M4 Phase management (PDF) - highlights coupes for which approval is being sought
• M5 Future habitats (PDF) - shows how species distribution changes as trees are felled and ground restocked
• M6 Conservation and heritage (PDF) - main features of conservation interest
• M7 Roads, tracks and quarries (PDF) - shows existing and proposed infrastructure
• M8 Utilities (PDF) - shows location of major utility infrastructure
• M9 Recreation (PDF) - shows priority recreation features
• M10 Viewpoints (PDF) - viewpoints from which future structure can be examined
• M11 Timber haulage (PDF) - shows the location where, and summarises the amount of, timber to be taken onto the public road network
• M12 Thinning (PDF) - shows areas where thinning will take place
• M13 Species distribution (PDF) - shows the current distribution of tree species in the plan area
• M14 Age class (PDF) - shows the age of trees in the plan area in 10 year intervals

Visualisations

These illustrate felling sequence and future restocking/habitats from key viewpoints

• VP1 Ardentinny Beach (PDF)
• VP2 Laird's Grave (PDF)
• VP3 Ardpeaton South (PDF)
• VP4 Ardpeaton North (PDF)