Lottery application

Friends of Durris Forest have applied for a Lottery Award in conjunction with the BBC Breathing Places programme. If successful, we will create a 'Breathing Place' at Pitcowdens, Durris Forest, by improving existing habitats and creating new areas for wildlife, increasing the biodiversity and educational value of the site, and provide some where people and groups will spend time. Pitcowdens was continually crofted from the first part of the 19th century until the mid 1960s, and represents one of the few sites where the dwelling boundaries are still visible. A tree-planting day was held in 2006, and our aim is to carry out further selective tree and shrub planting, create wetlands, drystane dyking, and provide historical information on site. The project will be run in conjunction with Durris School, and we will learn if we have been successful in June..

Old Bridge of Sheeoch

Since the partial collapse of the Old Bridge of Sheeoch walkers at the Kirkton of Durris have been forced to cross the burn using the road bridge. As the speed limit through the Kirkton is 50 mph, this presents a concern to residents and visitors. FDF have raised these concerns with Aberdeenshire Council on several occasions and have positive responses from the Council's Transport and Infrastructure Department.  Following up from our discussions a site visit was made in January of this year. Two possible solutions to this dangerous situation were envisioned. The first was the restoration of the Old Bridge and the second was to provide an improved, safer crossing of the road bridge:

Old Bridge Restoration: The cost of restoring the bridge to its earlier, lower level was estimated to be between 185,000 and 200,000 pounds. At present there is no funding for this. We had hoped that the North East Building Trust, which had earlier expressed an interest in the bridge's restoration, would take on the project, but they have since informed the Council that they would not be willing to become involved, as they must recover the costs of any restoration work done by the subsequent sale of the restored structure. As the bridge is privately owned by Dunecht Estates and there would not be a market for the restored bridge, the Turst were forced to abandon their interest. In view of this, it is necessary to look for other sources of funding for a restoration. It is stressed that this is the preferred option of the local community.

New Footpath on Road Bridge: The Council's Local Roads Manager is currently assessing schemes for the 2008/9 footway programme and will include a new footpath across the Sheeoch road bridge in this review. This is no guarantee that this footway will be given top priority, but we feel that the safety issue is of a serious enough nature to warrant a high priority for this project..
 

Annual General Meeting –held at Kirkton Hall 7.30 pm Thursday 29 Nov. 2007

The invited talk:  "Durris - The Scottish National Arboretum That Could Have Been" by Callum Pirnie, Head Gardner, Crathes Castle was very well received, and opened up a fascinating world of the early Victorian plant collectors. Their legacy at Durris remains partially  intact, and includes  many rare and now possibly unique tree specimens that likely no longer grow in their original habitat due to deforestation. Many thanks to Callum for his talk!