Scotland: Partnership to Protect Ancient Caledonian Pine Forest
12/21/99
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Title: Unique partnership deal to protect ancient Caledonian
pine forest
Source: The Scotsman
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: December 21, 1999
ONE of the last remaining stretches of Scotland's ancient pine forest
is to be protected under a unique partnership agreement.
More than 1,000 square miles of native forest in the Eastern
Cairngorms will be preserved as a result of the initiative between
landowners and woodland managers.
The Deeside Forest, which stretches from Aboyne to Braemar, contains
one of the few remaining stretches of Scotland's ancient Caledonian
pine forest, together with a wide variety of other native species,
including birch, oak, alder, willow and rowan.
While the forest and the neighbouring Forest of Spey together occupy
only 5 per cent of Scotland's total land area, they contain 25 per
cent of Scotland's native woodlands. It is hoped the partnership
scheme could act as a blueprint for other initiatives designed to
preserve historic woodland areas.
Under the Deeside Forest Accord, landowners and woodland managers
have given a commitment to conserve and enhance the forest and its
wildlife, to support responsible freedom of access for the public,
and to boost employment in the area through the sustainable use of
the forest's resources.
Nick Raeside, an Aboyne-based forestry consultant, has been appointed
project officer. His post is being jointly funded by the Cairngorm
Partnership, the Forestry Commission, Grampian Enterprise, Scottish
Natural Heritage and Aberdeenshire Council.
Ian Grant, chairman of the Cairngorm Partnership, said he hoped the
accord would act as a template for other agreements, covering
exceptional woodland areas throughout Scotland.
He said: "The Deeside Forest Accord is a unique agreement which
highlights just what can be achieved with a spirit of co-operation to
the fore.
"The protection and regeneration of native woodland is at the heart
of the partnership's forest strategy. It is our aim to develop the
Deeside Forest as a model of integrated and sustainable land use and
to promote its distinctive identity for maximum local benefit."
Mr Grant added: "This accord sets us well down the road to achieving
this aim and I congratulate and thank all of those who have put their
named to this unique document."
Marcus Humphrey, the chairman of Highlands Deeside Woodland Owners
organisation, said: "The Deeside Forest owners are delighted that the
accord has received such widespread support, and we will work with
the project officer and all the agencies involved to ensure that the
aims of the accord are achieved.
"By providing local employment and a wide variety of recreational
opportunities, the Deeside Forest will be a treasured asset for
future generations."