Pitcowdens project summary and status

The site of Pitcowdens in Durris forest is known to have been continually crofted from the 16th century until the early 20th century, and it appears as a settlement on one of the oldest surviving ‘Pont’s’ maps of Scotland 1580-1590, spelt ‘Pitkautins’.  The last Laird of Durris Estate, Henry Baird started to plant commercial forestry in the fields around Pitcowdens in the late 19^th century, and today Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) continues to replant and fell these same areas.

FCS felled the Bairds pine forest at Pitcowdens and replanted part of the land in sycamore in 1965, and other parts in sitka spruce in 1984.  The sitka and most of the sycamore have now been felled, and FCS have no intention to re-plant the area.

Pitcowdens is a little open oasis within a commercial forest of approximately four hectares.  Both FCS and Friends of Durris Forests (FDF) have worked in partnership to create a project at Pitcowdens that would not only benefit the local community but also a wider audience.  Both partners agree that the aim of the project is to create an ‘open space’ where recreational users can visit to learn and appreciate wildlife, the natural environment and the history of the site. 

Friends of Durris Forests (FDF) were awarded a grant from BBC Breathing Places in June 2008 for £10,000.  The money will be used at Pitcowdens, Durris forest e.g. to improve paths & wetland area, create a wildflower meadow and introduce new signage.  Preliminary work has already started by both parties e.g. FCS has undertaken an archaeology report of the site and mapped out exactly where the new features will be created.  FDF are researching the history of the site and have organised a flora and fauna survey.

If all goes well, phase 1 will be completed by early summer 2009 and FDF are already looking for new areas of funding for phase 2

Annual General Meeting –held at Kirkton Hall Durris,   7.30 pm Monday Nov. 17 2008

Our AGM was held as usual in the Kirkton Hall. This year the invited talk:  "Woodfuel Potential: Can it meet growing demand?" was presented by Ian Cowe - Biomass Development Officer based at Forestry Commission Scotland, Craibstone Estate. This talk covered the economic benefits of using woodchips for heating compared to oil or electricity where fuel cost could be up to 3 to 5 times more expensive. A number of grants are currently available to help set up this environmentally friendly source of heating.

See www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk for more information.

The AGM also had a presentation and discussion on a possible future use of part of the Kirkton site now that FCS operations are winding down there. The concept is still in its infancy, but was inspired by the presentation of Calum Pirnie at last years AGM on  "Durris - The Scottish National Arboretum That Could Have Been"

The Kirkton site would be an ideal location to tell the story of the significant investment the Victorian estate owners made in planting out species of trees and shrubs. Many specimens were acquired at large expense from around the world, and in Durris many still remain, some of them quite rare and unusual.

The Kirkton site could also become a focal point in gathering information about remaining specimens, and help in the maintenance and propagation of the particularly rare species. In due course progeny of some specimens could be donated by the current owners and be planted out in the woodlands surrounding the Kirkton site, to help maintain the far sighted approach of those early planters for future generations.

At present preliminary discussions are underway with FCS, and if there is a positive response all interested parties will be contacted to help guide the project forwards.

The AGM  re-elected the board as shown below.