The Mearns Land Management Plan (LMP) is currently being revised; the new LMP, once finalised and approved, will cover a 10-year period from 2025 to 2035. 

The initial scoping stage analyses the issues and constraints to be considered for future forest management and proposes objectives and priorities, short and long term, which will inform the preparation of the LMP for the next 10 years.

Mearns Land Management Plan area constitutes three blocks, namely: Fetteresso, Glenfarquhar and Drumtochty. The forest is located to the west of Stonehaven with the area of South Drumtochty most prevalent in the landscape, due to it being observed from both the A90 and East Coast mainline railway. 

The first areas purchased by the Forestry Commission in 1926 and 1928, were North and South Drumtochty, with subsequent acquisitions in the 1940s and 1950s of Fetteresso and Glenfarquhar. The forest area is currently 6666 hectares and forms one contiguous block. 

The forest is an upland environment with poorer soils which have been planted with commercial conifers, stocked with Sitka spruce, larch and Scots pine. This is one of the main production areas for East Region. Within the LMP area, FLS have been dealing with Dothistroma needle blight (DNB) disease. To date, DNB has been managed by a programme of thinning and a strong thinning programme will be an important control measure to this plant health issue.

Areas of Mearns forest did suffer from extensive windblow damage during Storm Arwen in November 2021, and the impact of this is still ongoing, as felling operations and restructuring of the forest continues. This restructuring provides scope to increase the broadleaf proportion in the forest, particularly along riparian areas to meet UKFS compliance.

In addition to commercial forestry, there are extensive areas of open ground, and some may be suitable for peatland restoration. Riparian areas, particularly along the Cowie and Bervie form habitat corridors, whilst in the older parts of the forest in North and South Drumtochty there are Plantation on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), and there is potential for enhancement of these areas. Among the wildlife of note is red squirrel, pine martin and newts. There are scheduled monuments in the block along with other national monuments. 

There are several river catchments that the forest feeds into, including those downstream at Auchenblae and Stonehaven, and the River Dee.

The forest hosts utility infrastructure from various sectors, ranging from electricity and gas providers to wind farms, and there is potential expansion of some utilities infrastructure during the development of this LMP.

Public use of the forest is focused around South and North Drumtochty, principally via the extensive mountain bike trails, which includes formal Enduro events and the Midsummer Cycling Sportive. There are equestrian users who use the wider forest road network. Mearns Forest also hosts the annual Grampian Rally.

Draft Land Management Plan

Main Objectives: 

• Maintain and promote sustainable production: Mearns is a production focused forest and management should focus on supporting production
• Utility infrastructure: accommodate the increasing number of overhead power lines (OHPLs) , wayleave expansion, wind turbines, sub-station and other utility infrastructure
• UKFS – broadleaves: increase broadleaf cover to at least 5% to meet UKFS compliance
• Flood resilience: ensure forest operations do not increase flood risk. Design felling coupes and riparian habitats to reduce the risk of flooding to Auchenblae and Stonehaven
• Second rotation crop quality: assess struggling crops and investigate interventions
• Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF): continue to develop a timely thinning programme to maintain and increase CCF
• Climate change: respond to predicted impacts of climate emergency through appropriate species selection.

Secondary Objectives: 

• Steep ground: maximise current productivity of steep ground coupes 
• Access: work out priorities for felling, thinning, planting and maintenance to establish hierarchy of road network required
• Local Landscape Area (LLA): ensure coupes are of a suitable scale and fit into the landscape
• Management of Sitka spruce regen: keep on top of unwanted regeneration in riparian areas, open areas, and PAWS areas
• Environment and Peatland restoration: investigate scope for peatland restoration, PAWS/LEPO reversion, riparian expansion, protection of scheduled monuments and rhododendron control.
• Recreation: liaise with local user groups
• Public and Private Water Drinking Water supplies: review and understand where operations may impact drinking water supplies

Community consultation

It is important that we understand why this area is important to stakeholders and the local community. The scoping consultation is a requirement of the land management planning process, but it is also a valuable opportunity for FLS to engage with the public, talk about our work, and discover what is important to you.
We will hold a public engagement drop-in event from 12:00 – 19:00 on Thursday 12 September at Auchenblae Village Hall, and we have provided a brief online questionnaire on this web page. 

Proposed timeline

•    The present Land Management Plan expires in December 2024.
•    Scoping of stakeholder interests in August – September 2024.
•    Draft proposals are due for public consultation in late autumn 2024.
•    Final statutory consultation period autumn – winter 2024.
•    Draft plan ratified and submitted to Scottish Forestry in winter 2024.

Documents and maps 

• Map 1 - Location
• Map 2 - Context
• Map 3 - Issues Glen Farquhar and Drumtochty
• Map 4 - Issues Fetteresso