Issued by Forestry Commission Scotland
12 October 2015
Environment
Minister, Dr Aileen McLeod, today (Monday 12 October) visited The Great
Trossachs Forest – Scotland’s newest National Nature Reserve and the biggest
reserve of its kind in the UK.
Hailed as
an exemplar and a jewel in the crown of Scotland’s forests, the Great Trossachs
Forest is managed in partnership between Forest Enterprise Scotland, RSPB Scotland
and Woodland Trust Scotland and is located at the heart of the Loch Lomond
& The Trossachs National Park.
The
Great Trossachs Forest covers an area the size of Glasgow (16,500ha). More than 1.5 million trees have been planted through the project, which
will eventually create one of the UKs largest native woodlands in one of
Scotland’s most celebrated landscapes.
Dr McLeod,
said;
“Since
The Great Trossachs Forest was established in 2009, the partners have made a
200-year commitment to manage the area for native woodlands, whilst at the same
time celebrating the area’s beauty and rich cultural heritage.
“This has delivered a unique blend of benefits – from enhancing biodiversity to supporting
outdoor learning and research, and of course creating outdoor leisure opportunities
and boosting tourism.
“The accolade of National Nature Reserve reflects this
mix of qualities and helps confirm the Great Trossachs Forest project as a
showcase for landscape-scale, co-operative land management. It is a jewel in
the crown of Scotland’s forests.”
The National
Nature Reserve accolade is awarded to areas managed to conserve sites of
nationally or internationally important species or habitats and which are also
managed to help people enjoy nature.
The Great
Trossachs Forest met the criteria on several counts, including: containing nine
designated sites along with other important non-designated habitats; being home
to protected species such as golden eagle, pine marten, otter and red squirrel;
and an ongoing programme of work to remove invasive species and non-native
trees.
Thanks to a
recent award from the Heritage Lottery Fund two Visitor Gateways have been
built. A new long distance path has also been created (The Great Trossachs
Path) to connect a wider network of trails and natural play and sculpture trails
installed.
An app has
also been developed to guide and
inform people about the natural and cultural heritage of The Great Trossachs
Forest NNR.
TGTF Ministers & Partners interior: - left to right Stewart Pritchard ( Ops Manager SNH), Carol Evans (Director, Woodland Trust Scotland) Environment Minister Dr Aileen McCLeod, Anne McCall (RSPB Scotland Regional Director, South and West Scotland), Gordon Donaldson (Forest Enterprise Scotland)
For more information visit http://thegreattrossachsforest.co.uk.
Source Url: http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/looking-after/reserve-hailed-as-jewel-in-the-crown-by-minister/menu-id-483.html