The future of West Fife's Woodlands

The West Fife Villages Community Planning Group (WFVCPG) has joined forces with the Forestry Commission Scotland and Fife Council to promote access to and recreational use of West Fife’s woodlands.

The region has many attractive woodland areas, with Devilla, Inzievar, Valleyfield and Dean Plantation perhaps being the most well known. Whilst these woodlands do attract visitors, they may not be being ultilised to their fullest potential.

As a first step, visitors to Devilla Forest were consulted over the weekend of the 27th and 28th of May. Around 70 people visited the display that had been specially set up, and of these, over 30 expressed an interest in becoming actively involved in the project.

West Fife is very fortunate to have been endowed with such fine woodland areas, some of which are remnants of former family estates, with areas of designed landscapes, specimen trees and historic remains.

Ideas so far include:

• preserve and develop these woodland features, both for the benefit of local people and as a tourist attraction;
• improve and extend the existing network of paths, some of which have a noble past, having once been carriageways or tree-lined avenues in these estates;
• categorise paths into candidates for waymarked trails, bridleways and all abilities routes, with links where possible to the National network of core paths;
• use of existing clearings and redundant buildings in the woodlands by schools, for public events or as field study/visitor centres.

The next step will be meeting with the people who have expressed an interest, who will be contacted directly.

Other interest will be welcomed, and if you would like to become involved or would just like to voice your opinion on what should take place, then please contact any of the following:

John Le Marie, West Fife Villages Community Planning Group
Tel: 01383 889 359 Email: jlemarie@balmule.freeserve.co.uk

Colin Peacock, Forestry Commission Scotland
Tel: 01555 660 190 Email: colin.peacock@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Stephanie Little, Fife Countryside Ranger Service
Tel: 01383 725 596 Email: stephanie.little@fife.gov.uk