IT was once home to a heavily grazed sheep farm. Now, a woodlands in the Trossachs is being hailed as the future of "land revival" as a major project to transform the space celebrates a landmark birthday.
Woodland Trust Scotland chiefs have shared their delight at the progress being made on the Glen Finglas Estate, 25 years on from the conservation charity's purchase of the site.
During that time, more than a million native trees have been planted and around 1800ha of new native woodland created. A further 100ha of peatland has been restored. The estate now welcomes more people and is home to more wildlife.
READ MORE: Ancient woodland could soon be protected from all planning applications in Scotland
The Trust maintains its own herds of cattle and sheep to manage open areas including woodland pasture.
And as the woodland creation bug takes hold across the country, the charity's bosses believe Glen Finglas offers a glimpse of what the future may hold for land where revival is only just getting underway.
Woodland Trust Scotland’s director Alastair Seaman said: “Ideas such as rewilding and reforesting have a high profile today. People increasingly see the urgency to create more woodland to counter the climate and biodiversity crises.
"Glen Finglas has had a 25-year head start. What you see here now is what much of the country might look like in future, as more and more land is revived.
"I am thinking of places such as Langholm where the community has taken ownership, the Clyde Climate Forest being created in Glasgow and its surrounding council areas, and hundreds of schemes on crofts, farms and estates across the country."
The Glen Finglas Estate was a hill farm that had been heavily grazed by sheep for generations when Woodland Trust acquired it in 1996 with help from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Covering more than 4800ha of mountain and moorland it is the largest of Woodland Trust's sites across the UK.
Car parks, waymarked trails and a Visitor Gateway building have all improved opportunities for the public to access and enjoy the site, which is part of The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve.
Mr Seaman said: “Our future plans are for more of the same: increased woodland cover, more peatland restoration, and extended path networks.
"Glen Finglas will continue to be a haven for people and wildlife as well as locking up carbon in its woods and peat bogs; to help in the fight against climate change.”
Due to uncertainty over Covid restrictions, silver anniversary celebrations are being split between online elements in 2021 and on the ground events in 2022.
Check out the dedicated web page for more information on what has been achieved over the last quarter century.
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