Carron Valley forest is located north of the Campsie Fells and Kilsyth Hills, surrounding the Carron Valley Reservoir. It consists of two forest ‘blocks’ – Carron Main Block to the South of the Reservoir and Cairnoch to the North. The Carron Valley Land Management Plan (LMP) was approved in 2016 and expires in 2026.

In 2021, a significant number of infections of the disease Phytophthora ramorum were discovered within Carron Valley and resulted in a number of Statutory Plant Health Notices (SPHNs) being issued by the regulator, Scottish Forestry. SPHNs require the felling of all larch species within a set buffer zone within a set time period in order to limit the spread of the disease throughout Scotland. Although these SPHNs provide approval for the identified larch to be felled, LMP amendments are required to fell other trees, for example to maintain wind-firm edges in the forest.

Recent experience from elsewhere in Central Region indicates that Carron Valley will now suffer an exponential increase in Phytophthora ramorum infections over the next five years, which will require prompt action to limit the spread of the disease within the ‘Priority Action Zone’ outlined by Scottish Forestry. As such, this amendment has been developed to gain prior approval for the removal of all larch within Carron Valley over the remaining LMP approval period.

Timeline

The amendment was submitted to Scottish Forestry on 8 April 2022 and will be placed on the Scottish Forestry Public Register for a 28 day consultation period during the first week of May.

Documents and maps

• Amendment Form (PDF)
• Coupe Summary Table (PDF)
• Larch Felling and Thinning Map (PDF)
• Environmental Felling and Thinning Map (PDF)
• Larch Restocking Map (PDF)