West Stormont Woodland Group

West Stormont was the name used in medieval times to cover the parishes of Auchtergaven, Kinclaven, Logiealmond, Moneydie, (Stanley) and the portion of Little . West Stormont has been chosen as the most suitably inclusive title for the many communities connected to Taymount and Five Mile Woods today.

Working with local people to bring Taymount Wood and Five Mile Wood into Community Ownership

Community Monthly Update – March 2021

What has WSWG been doing this month? • Well, the biggest thing by far we have done this month is launch the WSWG Community Consultation on our new website. Huge thanks to Paul Bennett of Websites for doing such an amazing job for us and to consultant Chris Collins for pulling together the WSWG Proposal Consultation Report, Maps and Survey Questionnaire to make this all happen. Both have worked magic for us above and beyond their remit. The Survey is still open until 19 March so if you have not yet managed to fill it in, there is still time to have your say! Look out for the leaflet coming through your door this week in ward. Walking in the woods? Scan the QR code on our info boards to get straight to the Survey on your smart phone. • More acorns given out! Guides might be potting some up as we speak. A number also planted direct in Five Mile Wood into gorse patches to help protect emerging seedlings and saplings from grazing by deer. • Zoom meetings with Forestry and Land and the Scottish Land Fund to update on WSWG progress and our scheduled timeline going forward. • On-line training session from the Community Woodlands Association and the Tree Council on ash die-back. Not so critical for Taymount and Five Mile Woods themselves with little if any ash there, although likely denying us this wonderful native species in the future mix, but ash trees and ash in hedges are common in the wider local landscape. Management efforts across the UK are now focused on mitigating safety risks from diseased trees, while allowing for natural regeneration of potentially disease-tolerant or resistant trees wherever possible. • Zoom interview with Tayside Bioregioning who are gathering information to build a picture on who is taking what action for the climate and ecological emergencies within the Tay river catchment. • The first blog of 2021 from Margaret Lear, “Whose woods are these? I think I know …” This year, Margaret is going to offer us a monthly Gift and Challenge from the woods. February’s gift? Gorse flower tea. February’s challenge? Whose woods are these? Urging you to complete the survey in the WSWG Community Consultation!! An easy challenge, really. But a vital one for our shared project. Please do join in if you can!

Word of the Month Woodland: Not much room this month but here goes! Meaning: noun - land covered with woods or trees; adjective - of, living in, or relating to the woods. Synonyms: forest, trees, copse, thicket, grove, brake, plantation, spinney, chaparral, boscage … and more. Scottish Gaelic: coille. Scrabble score: 13. Anagram: download.

What’s coming up next? • Analysis of Community Consultation Survey which will inform the final WSWG Proposal and Business Plan. • Transition of WSWG to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).

Become a WSWG Member today Join the FREE MEMBERSHIP SCHEME on our NEW WEBSITE www.weststormontwoodlandgroup.scot

Follow us! West Stormont Woodland Group Email us: [email protected] 1 West Stormont Woodland Group Community Monthly Update, Elspeth Coutts, March 2021