Plascow land management plan

Plascow Land Management Plan (LMP) Unit is a forest block covering 1039.76 ha. It is located in Dumfries and Galloway, approximately 2.5 km East of the village of Kirkgunzeon and forms part of Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) South Region. 

It is comprised of a second rotation conifer forest with some remnants of first rotation. The block is eight miles southwest of Dumfries, southern Scotland's largest town, and is surrounded by private woodland creation, open hill farmland and small settlements. A woodland creation area was added to the block at Fulgunzeon in 2004.

It is part of Scotland's national forests and land, owned by Scottish Ministers on behalf of the people of Scotland, and managed by FLS. 

The land management plan and supporting maps are available to download below.

Long term vision

The Plascow block will continue to provide a valuable, sustainably managed forest using clearfell, thinning and low impact silvicultural systems.  Areas of mature long-term retentions and minimum intervention across the block will retain a varied forest structure through the next plan and beyond, whilst the second rotation crop develops. Continuing a program of coupe restructuring and species/age class diversification will supply a range of ecosystem services including timber supply and greater habitat biodiversity.

Management objectives

1. Resilience: Recover timber in a significant proportion of windblown coupes before further degradation and loss of income and redesign felling order and coupe shape to help prevent further windblow.
2. Sustainable timber: Continue to restructure the age class and diversify species. Initiate a transition to Low Impact Silvicultural Systems where wind, soils and crop age allow via implementation of a thinning program to ensure production of quality saw logs and other timber products.
3. Biodiversity: Maintain and enhance the species richness of the woodland and open habitats to benefit biodiversity and the landscape setting by continuing to create and maintain broadleaf riparian corridors and transitioning areas around Roundfell and Maidenpap to mixed woodland and open space.

Summary of planned operations

• Felling: 130.5 ha
• Potential thinning: 103.2 ha
• Restocking: 207.3 ha
• Forest roads (new): 1,230 m

Designations and significant features

• Designated sites: none
• Other: A number of regionally important archaeological feature. See Map 9. 

• Plascow Land Management Plan
• Map 1: Location
• Map 2: Current Species
• Map 3: Concept
• Map 3 Concept Accessible Text
• Map 4: Management (felling)
• Map 5: Thinning
• Map 6: Future habitats and species (restock)
• Map 7: Timber haulage
• Map 8: Soils
• Map 9: Historic environment