Welcome to
Friends of
Durris Forests
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In June 2008 FDF were successful in their application for a grant from the Big Lottery Fund to develop the Pitcowdens area within Durris Forest. This is part of the 'Breathing Spaces' project (also being supported by the BBC).
The committee are presently assembling a program of work that will include path building, signage, planting and dry stone dyking within this old farming croft. More information will be made available here and in the next newsletter due out in late Summer. Any contributions of time, resources or equipment from members of the community will be welcomed!
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AGM 2007 and Public Meeting
Was held 29th November 2007
at Kirkton Hall, Kirkton of Durris
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.
After this talk, a Special Public Meeting was held on the future of the Forestry Commission Scotland Site at Kirkton of Durris. A summary of this meeting will be posted in due course.
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December 2006 - Tree planting day a great success!
On Sunday 3rd December 2006 thirty adults and children gathered at Pitcowdens in Durris to plant 185 native broad leaved trees. The project was organised in partnership with Friends of Durris Forest (FDF), Forestry Commission Scotland (FSC) and Durris Primary School. After the previous nights stormy weather they were lucky enough to have dry and even sunny spells during the planting time. The December newsletter gives more background to the longer term plans for this area.
AGM held in November 2006 discussed some options for Kirkton site, including development as an environmental study centre. See December 2006 newsletter for more details.
FDF board re-elected unopposed.
P & J article from late 2005 concerning the Durris FCS site.
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Sponsored walk on Elsick Mounth Sunday 26 June: 'Woodland Walk' and 'Dee to Sea'.
A sponsored walk took place in fine weather on the Elsick Mounth in Durris on Sunday 26 June 2005 to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation. Two walks were available- Woodland Walk (5km) and Dee to Sea (20km).
Clune Childrens Challenge - Orienteering course and 'Hunt the Butterfly' 16 April
About 50 enthusiastic youngsters, mainly from local primary schools, took part in the two events. See the newsletter for more information. Pictures below!
More orienteering day pictures...
Pictures from the 2004 Dry Stane Dyking course
Before.... .... and after!
_______________________ Snapshots from 2004 and earlier ___________________________
Winter wonderland - February/March 2004
Winter returns to the stone circle and story trail in Clune Woods
Annual General Meeting - 24 November 2003
After the 'business' section where the current trustees were re-elected, Gavin Legge spoke about Saving the Red Squirrels - a great opportunity to hear from a national expert on the squirrel. (Read more about it in our Newsletter.)
Durris Friends win Green Butterfly award.
The Clune Wood Storytrail Project has been presented with the prestigious Green Butterfly Award. Friends of Durris Forests and Durris School were presented with the award at a ceremony in Huntly Castle on 12th November. Full story
Autumn 2003: Two more sessions of Woodland Conservation.
2 November 2003: (click image for larger picture)
First free up the oak tree branches....... then saw off the base of the offending sitka spruce...
... and the oak (ringed) is free to grow ahead!
Now to move on to the clump of trees to the left, which are overgrowing another oak....
At first you don't see the oak.... then you do!
21 September 2003: Some of the regular brashers - apologies to those we missed.... take a short rest from the sawing and lopping self-seeded sitka spruce on the Elsick Mounth walk. The deciduous trees (here mostly oak) now have a realistic chance of survival..
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Sunday 11 May 2003: Clune Wood Story Trail opens
Friends of Durris Forests
founder member Jenny Watson formally opened the new Story Tail
in Clune Wood, with the pipes and drums of the Craigmaroinn Pipe Band.
The six tales are based on local history and
legend, and are illustrated with the children's pictures. The stories are
marked on finger posts on three trails through Clune Wood. The stories were
created by the children of Durris School, with a little help from the story
tellers Jackie Ross, Grace Banks and Stanley Robertson.
The project is a partnership between Friends
of Durris Forests, Durris School, The Forestry Commission and Awards for
All.
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Sharing the Management of the Forests
On 1st March 2003 a Partnership Agreement came into effect between FDF and the Forestry Commission that requires and enables both parties to work together in the management of all the FC forests in Durris – both the main Durris Forest and 19 specified surrounding woods.
The formal mechanisms for implementing co-management lie in a requirement to agree the five year plans for the woods, and the annual operating plan – with quarterly reviews of the latter. However the effectiveness of the agreement will rest on a willingness to interact and consult prior to these formal stages.
The Agreement includes proud commitments
· “to work towards the resolution of all issues relating to joint or collective forest management in a spirit of mutual cooperation”
· “for the recreational and educational benefit of the community and for the benefit of the environment, including special attention to sustainability, enhanced biodiversity and landscape.”
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Story Trail - Midsummers day 21 June 2002
Renowned local story teller Stanley Robertson enthralled a group of Durris School children (and others) at the inaugural opening of the Story Trail at Clune Wood in 2002. The signposts are now all complete, and their installation will be marked by a big event in Clune Wood 3.00pm Sunday May 11 2003.
More pictures Story Trail map Story Trail banner by Durris School
The Durris Forest area consists of several large forested areas totalling almost 2000 Hectares on Lower Deeside.
(click on map above to download a larger image...)
(click HERE for a satellite image of this map!)
Friends Of Durris Forests (FODF) was set up to work with Forest Enterprise to enhance the many aspects of our local forests.
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Other sites of interest
Local community council: http://www.durris.net
Forestry Commission: http://www.forestry.gov.uk
Woodland Trust: http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk
Old maps of the area: http://www.old-maps.co.uk
