Wild Land News no 54, Winter 2001/2002

Native Pinewoods Under Threat Article

A report by Gus Jones

Two outstanding areas of native pinewood within the proposed Cairngorms National Park are subjects of serious concern. School Wood at Nethybridge is close to two Special Protection Areas for capercaillie and is threatened by housing development likely to be predominantly second and holiday homes. The other wood, Anagach by Grantown on Spey is on the market and if a community purchase fails, could be sold in separate lots potentially resulting in unsympathetic management for landscape, wildlife and public access. Also in Nethybridge, construction of four luxury houses has recently been approved in a juniper rich pinewood holding red squirrels.

The owners of School Wood, Eagle Star (a subsidiary of the multinational company Zurich), are expected soon to make a second planning application, for 40 houses and a business site. In June they were refused permission for a slightly larger development, following a determined campaign led by people in the local community and supported by SWLG. This enlightened decision by Councillors for once to turn down inappropriate housing in Strathspey was against planners' recommendations. It owed little to an SNH report that played down the natural heritage importance of the wood.

School Wood is predominantly a native pinewood with some broadleaf trees and bog areas and is of great importance to the amenity and woodland setting of Nethybridge. It is listed in the Ancient and Semi-Natural Woodland Inventory. The outstanding wildlife interest includes aspen, juniper, capercaillie, red squirrel, crested tit, blood red slave maker ants and otter. Soils are as pristine as in the most undisturbed sites in Abernethy. The wood is particularly significant as a wildlife corridor for capercaillie between the two European sites, Abernethy forest and Craigmore wood. Despite Council recognition of the sensitivity of the site, it is feared that the second application might be allowed with proponents claiming that it would be consistent with the local plan.

The School Wood controversy has uncovered some practices which have caused concern:

In 1986, shortly after acquiring the site, Eagle Star attempted to fell broadleaved trees in this wood, including very large willows and birches. Fortunately District Council and Forestry Commission intervention stopped them.
When Eagle Star sent notification papers of their planning application to neighbours, the accompanying maps were ambiguous and led to confusion over the extent of the proposed development.
The conduct of Nicholas Woolley, Eagle Star's rural portfolio asset fund manager, at public meetings in Nethybridge, is the subject of still unanswered questions to Environment and Rural Affairs minister Margaret Beckett. The questions relate to unsolicited references made by Mr Woolley about his public position on the Board of English Nature, whilst extolling the sustainable nature of this private development.

Disquiet has arisen because of meetings held between Eagle Star and some elected community representatives, and a community council meeting from which members of the public were excluded. The wording of a petition, described by Eagle Star as indicating community backing for their first planning application, made no mention of the building proposals in School Wood. SNH staff did not attend the site visit at the June planning hearing, possibly because of obvious deficiencies in the report they provided to Council planners. SNH has denied that its advice on capercaillie was inadequate, despite one of its conclusions being described as "nonsense" by the UK's leading scientific authority on capercaillie. An investigation is underway in Brussels relating to a complaint of a breach of the European Birds Directive on this issue.

The Badenoch and Strathspey Conservation Group would welcome support for efforts to save School Wood. Please contact Tel/Fax 01479 821491; e-mail: bscg@zetnet.co.uk or BSCG, Fiodhag, Nethybridge, Inverness-shire PH25 3DJ