Balgownie Wood sees the light

This little known and infrequently visited area of West Fife woodland, some 53 hectares in size, is owned by the Scottish Executive and until now has been managed by Forest Enterprise as a commercial conifer plantation.

Under an exciting new programme involving Forest Enterprise, Scottish Native Woods, Fife Ranger Service and the Fife Conservation Voluteer Project, the wood is to be slowly restored over a period of 25 years or more to native woodland consisting predominately of Birch, Oak, Ash and Alder.

There are pockets of such Ancient woodland which have survived the planting of commercial species and by progressively thinning the latter it is hoped that natural regeneration of native woodland will occur and colonise the newly created clearings.

As a first step, a party of voluteers has recently been working in the wood, felling some conifers and removing the lower branches from others in order to let in more light. Not only will this allow woodland flora to return and native trees to germinate, it also has had the immediate effect of making it easier and safer for people to explore the wood.

At present it can only be reached via a farm track leading off the minor road linking the A985 and Bogside. However Forest Enterprise is in the process of purchasing East Grange Farm which lies to the east of Balgownie Wood and this will eventually allow additional access from Blairhall.

Anyone with an interest in this and other woodland areas in West Fife and making them more accessible to the community may wish to join the newly formed West Fife Woodlands group.

Contact John Le Marie on 01383 889 359 for further details.