Newsletter 13  - December 2002

Clune Story Trail

In June 2002, the children of Durris School created the Clune Wood story trail, through a magnificent reworking of local history into a series of stories and riddles.

In fact there will be three story trails, of different lengths and appealing to different ages. The story trails have been marked out in Clune Wood in a temporary form since June, though the signs are now somewhat weatherworn. More permanent signing is being created with the assistance of Forest Enterprise.

The signs are now ready for printing, and some will be on show at the AGM in early December. They will be mounted on permanent waymarking posts early in the new year.

As a record of their achievement, a 40 page booklet of the stories has been published and will be given to the children of Durris School. Copies are available at £3 from Committee members.

The story trail is a partnership between FDF, Durris School, and Forest Enterprise supported by Awards for All. Thanks to the many people who have made this exciting project work.

Contact: Mark Ansell

FDF Membership

There are about 100 folk who support the activities of FDF by paying a small subscription to become a member. Have you joined yet?

Woodland Conservation Work.

The conservation activity on 22^nd September and 3^rd November went ahead as planned in pleasant, sunny conditions. Craigie Daff wood came in for initial attention followed by the small glen formed by the headwaters of the Cairnie burn, near the Brachmont car park.

The aim was to remove self-seeded sitka trees which were entirely engulfing and choking planted broadleaf hardwoods such as oak and rowan. Work varied immensely from pulling up sitka seedlings with growth of no more than a few inches to cutting out substantial trees.

Volunteers work likewise varies from the easy to hard labour. No special skills are needed as we do not use chain saws - we use hand saws and loppers. The larger trees are left for Forest Enterprise to remove.

We have persuaded Forest Enterprise to co-operate closely with us. So in early November a squad of foresters followed up our work in Craigie Daff wood by cutting out the bigger pines that were too big for us to tackle. The result in that area is a model of what we would like to see developing in all Durris Woods.

The work we did at the Cairnie burn has opened up the glen into an attractive landscape feature. Here again Forest Enterprise will follow up with a squad to cut out most of the bigger trees. When this is done we will go back and continue down the glen to the field boundary. There are thoughts of creating a rough footpath down the glen returning via the forest track and so forming a varied and interesting one hour walk from the car park.

The past four volunteer days have achieved a great deal, but there is a lot more to be done. We plan four more days in 2003 and will include work on one viewpoint (see over).

Contact: Philip Dean

Viewpoints

Some beautiful views are in danger of being lost by tree growth. We have identified some viewpoints both within and at the edges of the forest and outlying woods (eg Kirkton Wood) where a bit of judicious thinning will maintain a vista. Forest Enterprise has agreed that we should help to preserve and enhance these views where practical.

Do members have any suggestions for conservation work and viewpoints? There is no shortage of work over the next few years and we would like members to work on their own favourite areas.

Contact: Philip Dean

FDF Website

See the FDF website for the latest about Durris Forest and the outlying woods and our alternative plan:

www.friendsofdurrisforests.co.uk

Check out the activities planned for 2003 and all the latest news. If you wish to receive this newsletter, or notice of events by email, please contact any committee member.

New Board

Would you like to help take FDF forward over the next year? Why not volunteer for the new FDF Board to be elected at the AGM?

Towards a new FDF

Why a co-management agreement?

Why change to corporate status?

Following the resolution of the landrover issue, we decided that we had to gain more control over the way that the forests were managed. More than half of the land area of the community is forest. If we want to avoid another situation like the landrovers, the community must take an active interest in the forests. The committee considers that a co-management agreement is the best way to ensure the community's views are heard.

At the last AGM we were proud to announce that we had received funding from Awards for All to negotiate an agreement with Forest Enterprise to become co-managers of the Forests. FE requires that a partner to such an agreement is a limited company.

The first step is to convert FDF into a company limited by guarantee. Committee members will become directors of the new company. Members of FDF will become members of the new company, with a liability of up to £1 each should the company be wound up. At the AGM, the FDF Committee will recommend that members support a vote on the transition to a company limited by guarantee.

The second step is to conclude the co-management agreement with FE. Copies of the draft agreement will be available for review at the AGM. Negotiations are near completion.

Come to the AGM on the 9^th December where there will be an opportunity to discuss these issues.

The committee feels this is a real step forward in our quest to have more of a say in what happens in our forests. We will then participate in drawing up a 5 year management plan and an annual operation plan with FE.