Woodland Archives - Aberdeen Voice

Emergency Rescue Appeal For West Affric Woodlands

Nov 122015

Trees for Life team inspecting a section of damaged fence in West Affric; damaged fence in West Affric

With thanks to Richard Bunting.

Conservation charity Trees for Life has launched an emergency rescue appeal to protect tens of thousands of young trees on West Affric from grazing deer.

A new generation of trees, many planted by TfL volunteers, has become established on West Affric over the past 20 years, after Trees for Life and the National Trust for Scotland created a series of 10 fenced exclosures.

The exclosures – areas from which large grazing animals are excluded – were designed to boost the recovery of native woodland by preventing the pressure of browsing deer.

But recent damage to the fences has left many of these trees vulnerable to grazing by deer, and Trees for Life is appealing to the public to help raise £20,000 for vital fence repairs to protect the emerging forest.

“This is perhaps the most urgent appeal we have ever made. We need to protect the results of two decades of positive conservation action to restore the Caledonian Forest in this area,” said Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life’s Executive Director.

“The exclosures are vital to the protection of trees and vegetation from the intense damage that can be caused by deer. Repairing the fences will ensure that the young trees – and the species they support – are safe and can continue to flourish, bringing greater life and diversity back to this depleted landscape.”

Only a few scattered trees survived on West Affric before the conservation work begun in the 1990s, but the transformation of the areas inside the exclosures has since been dramatic. Vibrant young woodlands are now supporting a wealth of insects and birds, including black grouse, while many flowering plants such as angelica, primroses and bluebells are flourishing.

However, because of the challenging terrain and climate, several sections of fencing have been broken by drifting snow, allowing deer to enter the exclosures and damage some of the trees. Other smaller, slower growing trees and flowering plants are now at risk, especially with the approach of winter when there is little else for the deer to eat.

Overgrazing by excessive numbers of red deer – the result of an ecological imbalance caused by humans, including the loss of natural predators and the dedication of large tracts of land since the 19th century for deer stalking and sheep grazing – is a major problem hampering natural regeneration of Scotland’s ancient Caledonian Forest.

Managing deer numbers is essential for native woodland restoration. In turn, restoring the Caledonian Forest and its native woodlands will provide improved habitat for balanced populations of deer in the future, allowing them to grow larger and healthier through having more shelter and more diverse and abundant food.

West Affric is a remote 10,000-acre expanse of wild land situated at the western end of Glen Affric, encompassing the headwaters of the Affric River. The National Trust for Scotland bought West Affric in 1993 and alongside its partners carries out vital conservation work to protect its natural ecosystems.

To donate to the emergency appeal, please visit www.treesforlife.org.uk or call 01309 691292.

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Forres Taxi Firm Helps Restore Caledonian Forest

Environment, News No Responses »

Jul 192012

With thanks to Richard Bunting.

Forres taxi operator David Macpherson is helping to bring Scotland’s Caledonian Forest back from the brink by supporting the Findhorn based conservation charity Trees for Life, which aims to restore the forest to an area of over 2,500 square kilometres in the Scottish Highlands.

David’s firm, Mac’s Eco Taxi, donates 20 pence to the award winning charity for every journey that picks up, or drops off, at the Findhorn Eco village in Findhorn Bay, Moray.

The scheme has already notched up more than £150, which David presented to Trees for Life recently. The green-minded taxi operator also has plans to fund a grove of trees through the charity.

David, who has run a taxi business for five years, decided to give his business a green boost in late 2010 by investing in a state of the art hybrid Honda Civic which runs on electricity as well as petrol. The car is able to recharge itself while being driven so has no need to be plugged in.

In addition to purchasing the first such car to be operated by a taxi firm in the area, David also decided to make a difference to the environment by supporting Trees for Life’s forest restoration work.

David said:

“I’d noticed Trees for Life’s vehicles and office on many trips to Findhorn, but it was buying the charity’s calendar with its stunning photographs of the Caledonian Forest that really inspired me. Our customers know that we are being doubly carbon conscious – with low emissions from our car and with donations supporting the reforestation of the Highlands.”

Since planting its first trees in Glen Affric in 1991, Trees for Life has planted over one million trees and has received a number of awards including the 1991 UK Conservation Project of the Year, the Millennium Marque in 2000 and Top 10 Conservation Holidays worldwide in 2009.

Alan Watson Featherstone, executive director at Trees for Life, said:

“This is an excellent project that is good news for the climate as well as Scotland’s biodiversity and wild landscapes.

“Simple yet positive schemes like this make a big difference to our work. Every £5 allows us to plant a tree and every £50 enables us to restore 50 square metres of native woodland.”

People can support Trees for Life’s restoration of the Caledonian Forest by funding dedicated trees and groves, while the charity’s Conservation Holiday Weeks allow people to gain practical conservation experience in beautiful locations.

For more information on Trees for Life see www.treesforlife.org.uk or call 0845 458 3505.
For more details on Mac’s Eco Taxi see www.macsecotaxi.co.uk or call 07936 311924.

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Tullos Hill Deer Shot Illegally

Aberdeen City, Featured, News 2 Responses »

Jun 192012

John F. Robins, Secretary, Animal Concern Advice Line (ACAL), has been actively campaigning against and researching the Tullos Hill Deer Cull, which saw 23 animals killed to further the city’s ‘Tree for Every Citizen’ scheme. In a dramatic development, it seems the law has been broken during the hunting. This emerged following a Freedom of Information Request lodged by anti-cull campaigner Clare Rochford.

Animal welfare charity Animal Concern Advice Line (ACAL) has asked the police to charge Aberdeen City Council for illegally killing deer during the controversial cull of roe deer on Tullos Hill on the outskirts of the city.
Despite widespread opposition from local residents, Community Councils and national animal welfare organisations the Council shot and killed 23 deer to make way for a Jubilee Woodland to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The tree planting project is backed by another charity, The Woodland Trust, which has seen supporters resign their memberships and withdraw sponsorship over the deer culling.

Deer culling is strongly supported and promoted by the Scottish Government through Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) but yesterday SNH admitted that Aberdeen City Council did not have permission to shoot deer at night. Under Freedom of Information legislation ACAL had already shown that three deer were shot during the early hours of Thursday 22nd March 2012 at times when specific permission for night shooting was required.

John Robins of ACAL states:

“The law on night shooting exists to protect deer from being injured instead of being killed cleanly. Aberdeen City Council ignored public opinion which was overwhelmingly opposed to this cull and now we have discovered that the arrogance of the Council extended to ignoring the law.

“I’ve asked the police to prosecute those responsible as they need to be shown that they are not above the law. The Councillors and the Council employees in charge of this project should resign their positions and bosses at The Woodland Trust should hang their heads in shame for getting involved in this fiasco.”

Robbery In The Name Of Trees?

Information, Opinion No Responses »

May 032012

Angus Macmillan shares some interesting facts about The Woodland Trust with Aberdeen Voice, and wonders if the phrase ‘charity begins at home’ is being taken too literally by the Trust.

Recent emotive claims from a variety of sources that government is “robbing” charities by capping tax relief on donations do not take into account the benefit to the general public of increased revenue for essential services.
However, one large charity, which I understand has a hand in the killing of the Tullos Hill deer, has an income of over £20m a year according to accounts filed in December 2011 (£2m “cash at bank” and a net worth of £107,601.000).

Yet The Woodland Trust frequently pleads poverty to the general public for donations towards buying parcels of land which it then “banks” as its own real estate.

See: http://companycheck.co.uk/company/01982873

It recently built a new state-of-the-art creature comfort headquarters at a cost of over £5m – from donations for trees? Hardly charity! So is the reverse true that large charities are “robbing” the public of services to the sick and elderly that can’t otherwise be afforded in this time of austerity?

Under the present system of tax and rates relief etc. to such charity behemoths, we are all subsidising their existence by default – whether or not we agree with their aims and objectives – thus depriving every local community in the country of vital funding.

The government is right to put a cap on charity donations that qualify for tax relief, but perhaps it should also consider removing relief and benefits from such charities once their income exceeds £1m a year.

The rich and powerful – whether they be charities or individuals – can well afford to pay their way in society.

They should do so now.

Caroline’s Well Wood Under Threat – All’s Not Well In Ellon

Aberdeenshire, Articles, Community, Environment, Featured, Information, Opinion No Responses »

Mar 192012

A proposal to build a road through woodland in Ellon has come under fire from a group set up to support the management of the area. The intended purpose of road is to provide access for the development of 250 new homes. Those opposed to the plan believe the road is unnecessary, destructive, and in contravention of a Blench Charter. Friends of McDonald Park founder member Lynn Gilbert brings Voice readers the story.

The plan is being opposed by Friends of McDonald Park, a group set up by Aberdeenshire Council in 1990 when the Council bought the superiority of the Park from the charity Barnardos.
The aim of the group is to support the management of McDonald Park for the benefit of the community. We have done this by planting bulbs, trees and a hedge as well as regularly clearing litter from the ground and from the Modley Burn.

The Park was given to the Burgh of Ellon in 1928 by Sir James McDonald and is governed by a Blench Charter.

The terms of the Charter state that the Park should be used for recreational purposes only, that nothing should be done which is detrimental to the Park and that its area is not to be reduced in any way.

In 1996, we successfully opposed a plan by Aberdeenshire Council to use part of Caroline’s Well Wood, the east section of McDonald Park, as a bus park for Ellon Academy. On that occasion we raised the terms of the Blench Charter and an alternative solution was found without destroying any of the Park.

In 2010, builders Barratt East Scotland and Scotia Homes were given Council permission to construct 250 houses in Ellon’s Castle Meadows but it was only when marks appeared on trees in the east section of the Park, that it became apparent that the plan was to construct a road through it, from the development site to Golf Road. I made enquiries on behalf of the Friends and was told that the road had been approved by councillors.

In August 2011, the Friends were informed in a Council Estates Department letter that an S75 Legal Agreement for the application had still to be signed, and were asked for their views on the proposed access. The same letter stated that legal advice given to the Council was that:

“vehicular access must facilitate/improve public access to the park and cannot be granted purely to allow development”.

The Friends voiced total opposition to a road through the Park, stating that it would be in contravention of the Blench Charter since it would not improve public access to the Park, but was solely for the development. It would also involve the felling of a large number of mature trees in an area inhabited by red squirrels, bats and spring/early summer migrating birds.

It would seem that councillors were not satisfied with the legal opinion offered and they sought further advice several times from Sir Steven Stuart QC. This was given in a privately-heard report presented at a Formartine Area Committee (FAC) meeting on 6 December last year. It suggested that temporary construction access could possibly be granted, subject to a number of safeguards and agreements being in place.

The Friends and many others have lodged objections to the planning application

On 17 January, a report to the FAC, again heard in private, proposed a temporary five year construction access which would become a pedestrian and cycle path once the five years had elapsed. This temporary access would be a tarred road with lighting and other services and which would involve the felling of at least 99 mature trees.

It would take a fifteen metre slice of the woodland at the Golf Road end, this increasing to nearer thirty metres at the top, a significant area of the Park.

It seems that when councillors first approved this access, they were not aware that they themselves were in fact Trustees of McDonald Park. It was in this capacity that councillors had to consider the application at their 28 February meeting, and as Trustees they rejected it.

This application is to be considered at a Planning meeting on Tues 20 March.

The Friends and many others have lodged objections to the planning application, and I have asked to speak at the meeting should it be heard there. Quite apart from the effect of this road on the woodland, a precious asset to Ellon, there is another matter to be considered.

Construction traffic using Golf Road would access the Park at the rear of Ellon Academy, an area used by a large number of Academy pupils and mothers with buggies walking into Ellon. There are two other access roads to the development, but some residents along these routes would rather see part of McDonald Park destroyed than have traffic pass their homes.

Interestingly, the site of this proposed access is given as ‘Castle Meadows’ on the planning application, when in fact it is McDonald Park. This makes it easy to overlook the reality of the situation.

Further info: Save McDonald’s Park Caroline’s Well Wood Ellon : Facebook Page
Image credit: Ian Jukes

Nightmare On Elm Street – An Offence Against Nature

Aberdeen City, Articles, Community, Environment, Featured, Information No Responses »

Feb 102012

The uncertain fate of the ancient elms in Union Terrace Gardens is highlighted by Mike Shepherd.

There are 77 mature trees in Union Terrace Gardens and a few more along the adjacent railway line. It is not clear how many of these will be felled during the construction of the proposed City Garden; however most will probably go. An Evening Express article suggested that they will all be removed, whilst it was mentioned at the January council meeting that some of the trees in the north-west corner may be kept.

Rather bizarrely, the same Evening Express article mentions that the wood from the Union Terrace Gardens trees could be recycled for the construction of the City Garden, that is for paths and the wooden roof of the outdoor stage, “keeping them in the garden”.

It is proposed that the new trees in the City Garden will comprise a “mini-forest” of 186 trees, mostly Scots Pines.

The fate of the twelve elms in the park is a highly controversial issue. A handful of these trees are considered by the council to be at least 200 years old. They may be even older. A report gives mention to the planting by the Town Council in 1764 of a thick woodland on the hillside to the west of the Denburn.

The trees in the park are disease-free. Occasional comments made by certain ill-informed councillors that Dutch Elm Disease is present in the Gardens are not true. The trees are inspected from time to time. The symptoms of the disease show up in the summer when leaves turn yellow and fall off early. This has not been seen in any of the Union Terrace Gardens elms.

As far as mature trees in the city are concerned, the council can do what it wants.

The disease, a fungus carried by bark beetles, has devastated elm trees throughout most of the UK. It is estimated that more than 25 million elms have been killed by the disease with very few mature trees left.

The disease spread to the north of Scotland only in the last twenty years and pockets of relatively disease-free elms have survived here. Aberdeen city is one such pocket. The disease has been recorded in only a few trees in the west end of the city, but it is generally absent.

Elsewhere in the north-east, Dutch Elm Disease has recently been killing large swathes of elms. Most, if not all, of the elm trees on Drum Castle Estate have succumbed, for example. It is to be hoped that the city stays relatively clear of the disease for as long as possible.

Aberdeen is said to have “possibly the largest remaining population of elms in Northern Europe that has not yet succumbed to the deadly Dutch Elm Disease.”
http://frontpage.woodland-trust.org.uk/ancient-tree-forum/atfgallery/galleryphotographers/geoffbanks/images/geoffproject.pdf

The mature trees in Union Terrace Gardens have been assigned Tree Preservation Orders by the Council. A document is available online which explains the policy towards protected trees in Aberdeen. The following are quotes from the document:

“A tree preservation order (TPO) is an order made by us, giving legal protection to trees or woodland. A TPO prevents cutting down, uprooting, topping, lopping, wilful damage or destruction of trees (including cutting roots) without the council’s permission.

“The purpose of a TPO is to protect trees that contribute to amenity and the character and attractiveness of a locality. Other factors such as heritage and wildlife value can be taken into account. A TPO gives the council an opportunity to assess the impact of work to trees or proposals which may affect them.” However, it goes on:

“The existence of a TPO can not in itself prevent the development of land taking place, but the council, as planning authority, has a duty to have regard to the preservation and planting of trees and the likely effect of development proposals on trees is a material consideration.”
http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=25378&sID=13464

In other words, as far as mature trees in the city are concerned, the council can do what it wants. A tree preservation order on the Union Terrace Gardens elms does not necessarily protect them.

The result of the referendum on the Gardens in March will also decide the fate of the elms. For some in the city, it is a major issue. They see the removal of the trees in Union Terrace Gardens as a crime against nature. These are amongst the last surviving mature elms in the country, Europe even.

For many it would be a sad day if and when they are chopped down. There is an online petition to save the 200-year old elms:
http://www.petitiononline.co.uk/signatures/save-the-200-year-old-elms-in-union-terrace-gardens-aberdeen/4168

A Meadow-Sweet Experience

Aberdeen City, Articles, Community, Creative Writing, Environment, Information, Opinion, Satire and Humour No Responses »

Nov 172011

By Bob Smith.

A meadow ower on Tullos Hill
Iss idea it is maist gran
A use faar mair diversified
Than jist trees upon the lan

A maun confess a love fer trees
Am a member o The Widdland Trust
Bit the growin o a hey meadow
Ower in Tullos iss is a must

Ye’ll hae wild flooers an ither plants
Buttercups, reid clover an daisies
Ti attract aa kins o beasties
Moths plus bees an butterflees

Doonamang aa the grasses
Frog hoppers wi yon cuckoo spit
Horny-gollachs an grasshoppers
An beetles faa feed on shit

Hay meadows are rich in earthwirms
Faa dee gweed things ti the soil
Are fine grub fer birds an mowdiewarts
A feast they think richt royal

Noo meadows provide nesting grun
Fer the peesies an skylarks
Faa hiv a job ti survive
In intensive fairmed parks

It’s reckoned ae hail acre
Can support twa million spiders
An lots o ither insects
Faa in win are expert gliders

Anither species faa wull benefit
Fae iss idea fit’s maist gifted
Is aa us tired oot humans
Faas spirits wull be uplifted

Jist ti waak throwe a meadow
Wi its flooers an bummin foggies
A pleasure e’en on a frosty morn
Myn an weer yer hummel doddies

So awa wi yon feel ideas
Ti sheet the puir bliddy deer
Leave them ti graze a meadow
An live a life withoot ony fear

Tullos Hill Ablaze

Aberdeen City, Articles, Breaking, Featured, Information, News No Responses »

May 192011

By Alan Robertson.

Two separate fires broke out on Tullos Hill on the evening of Wednesday 18th May from around 8.30pm until the Fire Brigade brought them under control approximately an hour later. The fires were at either side of the hill and one of the fires stretched across an area I would estimate to be approximately 200 metres.

Despite the fact that both fire outbreaks were on green gorse land, the recent dry conditions allowed them to spread extremely quickly. Had conditions been different with a prevailing wind to assist, the blazes may have covered a far greater area at speed and caused more extensive damage.

There has been a history of wilful fire raising on the hill. At present this results in brush fires. The Fire Brigade have estimated that in one summer the cost to their service was in excess of £35,000.

These latest incidents raise further concerns about the viability of Tullos Hill for the proposed planting of 40,000 trees by Aberdeen City Council in their plan to turn the area into a forested area designated Diamond Wood status by the Woodland Trust. Should a similar fire or fires start in a large forested area, as proposed by the Council, the potential for a large scale blaze across a vast area of Tullos Hill would appear to be a real possibility.

Worryingly, Tullos Hill is an area where methane gas, produced by the decomposition of buried waste, is vented from underground using special equipment that is spread across the entirety of the hill. The potential combination of a large forested area and the continual venting of highly flammable methane gas could present a major risk to the surrounding industrial estates if a large forest fire was to take hold.

Tullos Hill is also in close proximity to Tullos Primary School.

71 fires occurred in 2006 according to Grampian Fire And Rescue Service – down from 132 in 2005. This reduction has come about as the result of a range of measures undertaken by the Fire Service in partnership with Police, the local community, schools and media.

http://www.grampianfrs.org.uk/subdreamer/index.php?categoryid=8&p2_articleid=20

However the incidence and potential risk of fires on Tullos Hill will be exacerbated if the proposed extended forestation were to go ahead and this further calls into question the Council proposals to plant a large number of trees in this area.

Hillhead Tree Planting A Success – Jam Tomorrow?

Aberdeen City, Articles, Community, Environment, Information Comments Off

Mar 042011

What happens when you give some students 420 trees, spades and a clear bit of ground? Quite a lot actually, and very quickly too – Caspar Lampkin reports on the Climate Change Project’s latest planting event.

As part of People and Planets ‘Go Green Week’, the Climate Change Project organised Aberdeen University’s second big planting event up at Hillhead on 11 February.

The 420 trees generously donated by the Woodland Trust were all planted within two hours, thanks to all the volunteer help.

Following the success of the first planting event which created two herb gardens, a lot of shrubs and a couple of fruit trees, there was strong demand to get out and do further planting around the campus. The amount of land in the university area, and indeed throughout the city, is huge and holds enormous potential for the creation of ‘edible landscapes’ to bring free, local, fresh food to the community.

OK, the trees planted in February will not provide fruit for at least a decade but we really should be thinking about this now for the benefit of future generations. The Chinese proverb, ‘The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is now’ sums this up perfectly.

There were six varieties of tree planted, including plums, hazels and crab apples, which will all produce berries and fruits useful in making chutneys, jams and cordials once they reach maturity.

The great thing is that there are already many of these trees around campus which have reached maturity and the Climate Change Project is currently putting together a map of where all these trees are so that we can all benefit from their harvests.

Imagine not having to go to the supermarket to buy overpriced, flavourless apples and plums but picking them for free as you need them on your way to lectures instead.

The Climate Change Project has more planting projects to come. Why not come along next time and learn how to plant a tree yourself? Go to http://eepurl.com/co4BD to sign up to our weekly newsletter.

Photos by George Chubb.