NOTHING like it has been seen for centuries. A new forest of four million trees is to be planted by the side of a famous Scottish loch in the UK's biggest woodland restoration scheme.
The ambitious 20-year project to create a wooded wonderland will cover around 8,000 acres of land to the north, south and west of Loch Katrine with native species such as Caledonian pine, Atlantic oak, birch, hazel and alder.
Costing more than £3
m, it will provide a new tourist attraction at the heart of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and create new habitats for native wildlife.
Project managers hope that species such as wild deer, otters, pine martens and red squirrels will move in, while birds of prey will take up residence on the open fringes.
The land, which is being leased from Scottish Water - Loch Katrine is Glasgow's main reservoir - has historically been used as rough grazing for sheep.
But the Scottish Forest Alliance (SFA), which includes the Forestry Commission, the Woodland Trust, the RSPB and oil giant BP, wants to restore the area to what it was around 500 years ago, before large-scale deforestation took place.
The first stage in the transformation will take place next summer with the planting of the first of millions of seedlings.
By 2027, a mosaic of new forest will stretch along the northern and southern banks of Loch Katrine and westwards towards Loch Arklet.
Russell Lamont, the Forestry Commission district project manager, said Scottish Water no longer wanted to manage the land around the Loch Katrine catchment, so had agreed to lease it to the Alliance. The sheep were moved from the land about five years ago.
"This land is a superb acquisition and we now have a massive opportunity to return it to what it would have looked liked like more than 500 years ago," Lamont said.
"Unless you stand at one end of the loch and look up, it is difficult to comprehend the scale. We will only be planting native species, and by 2027 we will want to see a relatively mature woodland with open spaces and a thriving wildlife. We want it to be an asset for everyone in Scotland to enjoy."
The Forestry Commission has in recent years started moving away from a strictly commercial role to providing more recreational woodlands. In Scotland, it intends to increase forestry cover from 17% to 25% by the end of the century.
The Loch Katrine project will be a showcase for other restoration plans around the country as well as for the creation of new wildlife habitats.
Some new foot and cycle paths will be created to link the area to the nearby Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, the West Highland Way, the National Cycle Network and other rights of way.
The entire acreage secured by the Alliance around Loch Katrine covers more than 25,000 acres, with around a third to be covered with the new woodland. The remaining open areas are still likely to be used for livestock grazing.
The woodland restoration plan, which will also help to tackle climate change - as trees soak up carbon emissions - has been endorsed by the Scottish Government. Environment Minister Michael Russell said: "Undertaking long-term landscape projects contributes positively to many key issues - from biodiversity to sustainability and climate change. This innovative alliance of private sector and public agency is a good example of what can be achieved.
"Creating new woodland in this way also provides a resource that local people and visitors can enjoy and benefit from for decades to come."
Around a third of the project costs will be paid for by BP. Spokesman Neil Weir said: "The Scottish Forest Alliance is an important part of BP's commitment to investing in Scotland's future. As the largest of 14 sites across Scotland where the SFA is establishing new native woodland, Loch Katrine will benefit from significant investment."
Loch Katrine attracts around 250,000 visitors a year because of its stunning setting about 25 miles north of Glasgow.
The restoration plan involves planting around 400 acres of ground around the loch with new trees each year for the next five years. As the forest regenerates, it will also spread naturally.
Lamont said: "The benefits won't be immediate because a long time-scale is involved, but it is wonderful to have been given this opportunity to transform this landscape."
The full article contains 742 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
