Wild Land News no 69, Summer 2007

Forest restructuring above Loch Lomond Article

The hard edge of the conifer plantation is conspicuous in the view across Loch Lomond. Photo:John Digney

A scoping meeting took place in April to prepare for a major forest restructuring project on the slopes of Ptarmigan Hill on the east side of Loch Lomond. Forestry Commission Scotland (Cowal & Trossachs District) invited a wide range of interested parties to discuss proposals for converting the coniferous forest to native woodland. The conifers were planted in the 1960s, generally above the existing oakwoods beside the loch shore, but for many years they have been a conspicuous and unnatural feature of the view across the loch. Their removal and the conversion to native woodland was one of the main objectives when the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park was designated in 1997, five years before the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park was established.

The project presents a number of challenges. The vulnerablility of the steep slopes to landslide will have to be taken into consideration in the felling schedule, with potentially some conifers being left in place until a thicket of native woodland is established to stabilize the ground. The sheer volume of timber - 100,000 tonnes, approximating to 4000 lorry loads - will involve new roads and upgrading of existing ones. The possibility taking the timber out by barge on Loch Lomond was also discussed.

Another important factor will be the presence of the West Highland Way, which follows the main forest road for several miles north of Rowardennan. It would be unsafe to allow unmanaged access along here while timber extraction is taking place, but the Way is a major tourism asset and needs to be kept open. A number of options were considered, one of which is to use a boat to ferry walkers past the area where felling is taking place. Another is to upgrade the little-used alternative route through the oakwoods well below the coniferous plantation. The eventual outcome will almost certainly be far better for walkers as the views from the forest road are currently much restricted by the dense conifers.

Many other issues, such as the impact on water quality, wildlife and archaeology will have to be taken into account. Forestry Commision policy has moved forward considerably since the 1960s when the the main driver was to create a strategic timber reserve following the Second World War. The foresters who created the woodland probably never realized what a demanding challenge they would be giving their successors to fell the timber.

John Digney