Forestry Commission - News - stranraer to design its own community woodland

The communities of Stranraer are being given a unique opportunity to design, build and shape the future use of a new community woodland for the town.

The Commission has acquired Gallowhill, directly above King George Park, in a bid to develop a new woodland area for local people and visitors to enjoy.

Community engagement is now being encouraged and the Commission is eager that as many people as possible give their ideas on what their woodland should look like.

The area is known for its warm and temperate climate so a proposal to capitalise on this could produce a community woodland that is quite unique in Scotland.

Keith Muir of Forestry Commission Scotland's Galloway office said:

"The people of Stranraer have a fantastic opportunity to shape their very own community woodland. Together we could build a new and attractive woodland space where the public can enjoy walks, host events or simply get away from the hustle and bustle. We more or less have a blank piece of paper to work from so we could be talking Oak and Scots pine to palm trees or eucalyptus!

"Forestry Commission Scotland is acquiring land close to urban communities in a national effort to give people greater access to woodlands close to their homes. Having woodland recreation close to where you live can make a big difference in encouraging people to get more active and enjoy the outdoors.

"We are very keen to make sure that local people are a driving force in designing the new woodland so we want people to get involved and give us their views at a number of drop-in meetings that will be held locally. There will also be opportunities for volunteers to get their hands dirty planting trees in the new woodland.

“It really is a fantastic opportunity for many different community groups. Imagine being able to take a class of kids into a woodland that has been designed with education in mind, or be able to take mothers and toddlers groups for a morning walk away from the town centre. There is also great scope for people to become involved in wildlife projects."

The area to be transformed into a new woodland is approximately 80 hectares in size, giving ample opportunity for a variety of facilities to be developed.

A community woodland is a woodland designed and managed for community use. There can be ponds to encourage wildlife or there could be an assault course to encourage fun and exercise, including walking trails and possibly a small mountain bike track. It is for the community to come up with imaginative ideas of what they would like to happen in the woodland. The new woodland could give an ideal opportunity for local people to be trained in woodland, wildlife and recreational skills and provide volunteering opportunities.

Drop in meetings where locals can discuss ideas with Commission staff are being held at the Millennium Centre, Stranraer on 21, 22 and 24 April from 10am to 7pm. There will also be a stall during market day on 23 April.

Media enquiries to Keith Muir, Galloway Forest District, 01671 402 420, or Claire Martin, Forestry Commission Scotland press office, 0131 314 6506.