Falkirk Council owns a significant area of woodland across the Local Authority which forms an important element of the local green network. The Council’s Forest Estate Plan (approved in April 2019) sets out the Council’s approach to managing and improving its woodlands.
Green Action Trust has been working with Falkirk Council over the last two years to bring up to date and rationalise the management of this woodland portfolio through the following steps:
- A strategic overview of all woodland assets owned by Falkirk Council
- Community/Stakeholder consultation
- Prioritisation and setting out proposals for woodland holdings over the next 10 years, including opportunities for woodland expansion.
- Developing Urban Woodland Management Plans (UWMP) for each of the woodland holdings
- Identifying and securing funding for ongoing management of the woodlands
GAT will deliver a first phase of management works during January and February this year focussing on the ‘Falkirk North’ area (see map above) with a value of circa £175,000. Further detailed information for each of the sites can be found below.
Cobblebrae & Coo Park
- Tree thinning (14 hectares)
- Native broadleaf tree planting (1 hectare)
- Path upgrades (approx. 2km)
- New signage, fingerposts and benches
Carron Dams
- Path upgrades
- Fingerposts
Corrie Park
- Tree safety works (felling)
- Tree thinning (1 hectare)
- Native broadleaf tree planting (1.14 hectares)
Finlay Russell
- Tree safety works (felling)
- Tree planting (approx. 200)
- Scrub removal (approx. 0.2 hectares)
Larbert Lade
- Tree thinning (0.7 hectares)
Falkirk Cemetery
- Tree safety work (felling)
- Tree thinning (0.21 hectares)
A further five Urban Woodland Management Plans have been produced to cover the remaining Falkirk area, and it is intended these will be delivered in subsequent years subject to available funding.