Section 1 - About your organisation General Contact Details for Your Organisation 1.1 Name of Community Body (CB) (or unincorporated association if applying under the Sponsored Sale of Surplus Land) Woodlands Trust

Full I address for 4 Oldman Road Kirkton of Maryculter

Postcode: AB12 5BZ Fax

Your organisation's website: www.maryculterwoods.com

Title: Dr First Name: Ed

Chairman Address for co if different from the anisation address Address: as above

Postcode Tele hone

Surname: as above from the main contact address Address: as above

Postcode Tele hone E-mail 1.4 What is the purpose of your organisation? Briefly explain the main purpose of your organisation, and what activities and services you undertake. 100 word maximum.

(i) To restore and maintain native habitat in the Kirkton of Maryculter Wood (the 'Wood')

for the benefit of the local communi J the ublic in eneral and wildlife. Activities will

3 include maintaining paths and drainage, restocking with native trees and improving access. (ii) To advance the education of the wider Community (including those attending local schools, universities, local clubs and organisations) about the natural history, environment, archaeological and cultural heritage of the Wood. (iii) To manage the land in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the Community and wildlife. Activities will include thinning of existing spruce and larch over 30 years and thereafterrelyinglargely on the managementof nativetrees to supportthe activitiesof our organisation.

1.5 What type of organisation are you? Description Documents to be enclosed Company Limited by Application to create SCIO Memorandum and Articles Guarantee (required under lodged with OSCRw/c 17th of Association community Acquisition) June 2013. Draft Certificate of Incorporation Yes - pleasetick Constitution enclosed

Unincorporated Association Current status of MWT Constitution / Set of Rules Yes - insert date ./ established 2007

If yes, please give your registered Inland Application lodged w]«: 17thJune 2013 Revenue Charity Number and provide a copy of ur letter or reco nition

Pleaseenclose a brief resume of each of your committee or Board members: See Appendix 1 to this application

4 1.10 Please tell us about your community.

We need you to describe your community to allow us to decide whether you have demonstrated community support for the application (see Criteria 3, p13). You must include the location, population size, and a description of your community. This must also include a geographical definition such as community council boundaries, electoral wards, or postcode unit maps. Please also tell us who your neighbouring communities are. 300 words maximum. The population of your community 700 (on electoral roll)

Our Community is situated in rural Aberdeenshire, 8miles SW of . The Community is defined by electoral ward SW1701 (Maryculter), which closely matches the Parish of Maryculter (see Appendix2). The Community falls within the area served by the North Kincardine Rural Community Council. The area is typified by small scattered rural settlements set amongst extensive farmland. The largest settlement is Kirkton of Maryculter which contains 32 properties. The rolling landscape is bounded to the north by the River Dee and most of the residents in the Community live within the valley. The Crynoch Burn runs through the Wood before joining the River Dee.

The area has a rich past extending as far back as the Bronze age settlement on Oldman Hill (adjacent to the Wood). In the 13th Century the Templar Knights built the first parish church in Maryculter. There are 3 large country estates (Kincausie, Blairs and Auchlunies). The Kincausie estate, which has been owned by the Irvine family since 1535, extends up to the north eastern boundary of the Wood. This estate contains ancient woodland which supports red squirrel, pine marten, some rare raptors and nationally important populations of the rare woodland herbs Twinflower and Herb Paris.

Maryculter Parish lies within the tourist destination of Royal Deeside and contains hotels ( Hotel, Ardoe House Hotel, Old Mill Inn) and the Deeside Holiday Park. The Storybook Glen theme park lies immediately north of the Wood.

The suburbs of Aberdeen ( & Milltimber) are situated to the north, on the other side of the River Dee. The rural communities of Durris and Netherley lie to the west and south respectively. In the future, 280 houses will be built at Blairs (within Maryculter Parish) and 4,000-8,000 new houses will be built to the south of the Parish at Elsick.

5 The Wood is referred to as Kirkton of Maryculter Wood, though has previously been known both as Oldman Wood and Durris Forest.

6 2.4 Please describe how the community has "a substantial connection with the land" (Criteria 3).

The community should be situated by, near to, or on, the land. This could also include a description of how the community currently accesses or uses the land and other community interests in the land. 300 words maximum.

A number of local organisations have facilities adjacent to the Wood. The local Scout group, comprising Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, have their meeting hut in the Kirkton of Maryculter and make extensive use of the Wood. They have also provided volunteers over the last few years for some of the activities undertaken in the Wood by the Maryculter Woodlands Trust (MWT). The Redwing Riding School is also situated adjacent to the Wood and use the Wood as their main site for lessons (several times a week). The Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) use the wood to allow disabled members an opportunity to enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides in the pleasant and varied surroundings of the Wood. They also use the Wood to train both horses and able-bodied carriage drivers.

The Wood is, of course, also used for recreation by walkers, particularly dog walkers. One of the attractions of the Wood is the diversity of habitat including open areas in the valley of the Crynoch Burn, open wetland areas, heather moor, relict Caledonian pinewood, mature spruce stands and maturing broadleaf stands. The top of Oldman Hill provides panoramic views of the area. There are archaeological features, varied metamorphic and igneous rock outcrops and undisturbed glacial features. In summary, a wild & diverse landscape and only 8 miles from Aberdeen.

The MWT was created in 2007 and has undertaken many activities in the Wood, in partnership with FCS, to improve further the amenity of the Wood for the local community and wider public. These activities include creation of new 'desire line' paths, planting native trees, thinning out invasive spruce and maintaining drainage ditches. The volunteer workforce for these activities has come from the local community, including the local Scouts and Cub Scouts and their leaders.

2.5 Tell us why your organisation wants to acquire the land?

Please give a brief outline of your plans for the land including the long term objectives your wish to achieve, and how you will manage the land differently. 300 words maximum.

The Wood has been clear-felled in batches over the last 20 years with no significant restockin . A few mature trees remain mo on the stee slo es near the C och

7 Burn. The rest of the area is mostly either open ground or is covered in self-sown spruce & birch. Whilst this has reduced the economic value of the Wood it has helped create a diverse habitat, with considerable potential for further improvement.

The MWT intends to develop further the diversity of habitat and transition the tree population to 90% native species by 2035. Plans have been created for a number of different zones (see map in Appendix 3). 1) Conservation Areas. These areas have no economic value now and MWT has no ambition to use these areas for any significant economic purposes in the future. These areas are a) Valley of Crynoch Burn (part of the River Dee SAC), b) Caledonian Pinewood (degraded, but can be restored) and c) Wetland (unproductive ground for trees). These areas all still require activity to improve the native habitat.

2) Mature spruce and western hemlock. This area will be thinned (tv300t) and infilled with Scot's pine to encourage red squirrels into the wood. 3) Clear-fell area. This area will be restocked in 2015/16 with Scot's Pine and a fringe of native broad-leaved trees. 4) Immature spruce and larch. These trees will be gradually thinned, potentially for firewood or woodchip mulch, and eventually removed by 2035. The area will be restocked with native species. 5) Existing broad-leaf areas. These areas will be restocked with additional native broad-leaf species for long-term economic benefit (2060+). Heather moor will be retained.

Access points will be improved, with new gates at each entrance. We have recently arranged with Storybook Glen that school parties visiting the Wood will be able use their (large) car park.

Section 3 - Demonstrating Community Support 3.1 If the land has a market value of less than £50,000 please provide evidence of community support, eg petition, ballot, attendance record and minutes of public meeting (if more than £50,000 go to 3.2).

A postal ballot of the entire community was undertaken as part of this application. All ballot forms were posted on Saturday 4th May to each person on the electoral roll of ward SW1701 (Maryculter). Stamp-addressed envelopes were included with each ballot form addressed to the returning officer in the Aberdeenshire Council in . The ballot closed on 31st May and the count was held on 7thJune. Each ballot slip had a random code (untraceable to any individual or area) to prevent any fraudulent copying of voting slips. In the event, there were no invalid voting slips. The result is shown in the

8 next section.

As part of the Community engagement for the ballot, representatives of the MWT called at nearly every home in the Community to raise awareness of the proposal in general and to answer more detailed questions when requested. In doing so we were able to get a good sense of the level of Community support and the motivation behind that support. Many residents see the Community acquisition of the Wood as an opportunity to ensure that there is at least one area where the local environment is enhanced for future generations. Given the continued development pressure for housing on Deeside the significance of the Wood to the Community is likely to grow. The MWT has received several letters of support from various sources, as covered in Section 5.9.

3.2 Where the land has a market value of £50,000 or more, a ballot is required to demonstrate community support. Please provide the following information. a. Date of ballot. 4th -ai= May 2013 b. Question which was put to ballot. Do you think the Maryculter Woodlands Trust should attempt to acquire Oldman Wood from Forestry Commission so that the wood can be managed for the benefit of the local community? c. Number of people eligible to vote. 700 d. Number of eligible people who voted, 491, no proxy votes, no invalid including details of the number of proxy votes. votes e. Percentage of those eligible to vote who 70% voted (d/c x 100) = f. Number of eligible people who voted in 481 favour of acquiring the land. g. Percentage of those voting, that voted in 98% favour (f/d x 100) =

Address: Kincardine & Mearns Aberdeenshire Council Viewmount Arduthie Road STONEHAVEN AB392

9 Telephone: (01569) 768206 E-mail: [email protected]

Section 4 - Capacity to Manage Land

The MWT has successfully managed the Wood, in partnership with FCS, since 2007. Support for the work of the MWT has grown in that time and there has never been a shortage of volunteers for the work undertaken in the Wood (with FCSapproval). The Steering group created by MWT for this application contains highly motivated and talented people. The group contains a company director, a professional forester, a retired government scientist, an IT specialist, a land owner and a part-owner of a family forestry business. We have legal advice from Mr Alan Eccles of Maclay Murray & Spens, one of the best charity lawyers in Scotland. We have also received advice from the Community Woodlands Association, Aberdeen University, Royal Society for Protection of Birds, The Conservation Volunteers Community Network, River Dee Trust, Birse Community Trust (Robin Callander), Kincardine & Mearns Area Partnership, A2+B Accountants, NKRCC, local councillors, MPs and MSPs. Over the years we have always had a positive and supportive relationship with FCS (notably with the Community Rangers) and this has continued throughout the preparation period for this application. There are several firms able to provide forestry services, including Tilhill, Fountain Forestry and the local forestry firm Eastland Foresters (based in the Kincausie Estate). The MWT also has free access to local landscapers and environmental consultants.

The MWT is a member of the Community Woodlands Association and the TCV Community Network.

10 Section 5 - Showing that your plans for the land will provide additional benefit, are consistent with the principles of sustainable development, and are in the public interest.

Acquisition should achieve a range of additional public benefits for the community. These can be listed as economic, social and environmental benefits (but may not involve all of these). The benefits will come from your planned activities and outputs. In addition the land to be acquired should be sustainably used or developed. See Criteria 6 and 7, pp14-16.

S.l What economic benefits will the land acquisition bring to you and the wider community?

Economic benefits might include new jobs, greater job security, benefits from tourism income, generation, timber sales or processing, a wider mix of economic activity in your area, development of renewable energy schemes etc. 300 words maximum.

The short-term economic benefits from timber will be very modest. Thinning of mature trees could yield 300t of timber plus small amounts of firewood and woodchip mulch. The local forestry company (Eastland Foresters) have a portable sawmill and it would be possible to locate it in the Wood during felling operations (with either Eastland Foresters as the felling contractor or another firm). This would reduce costs and road transport emissions. The sawdust can be sold direct to the Redwing Riding School next door. The expected income from these timber sales is likely to average 1V£500/yr over the next 10 years. A small area (1V1 ha) will be planted with Scot's Pine, which could be used for Christmas trees (along similar lines to the family business of one member of the MWT Steering Group). The intent will be to keep this activity small-scale with customers largely within the local community. This could generate £500/yr within 6-8 years of planting and could help the MWT with running costs (excluding large projects) until the existing spruce/larch can be harvested (2030+). We may be able to lease deer control to a qualified stalker to generate £300/yr. Our plans for the Wood will enhance the visitor and tourist attractions of the area, particularly as tourists can combine a visit to the Wood with a visit to Storybook Glen.

S.2 What social benefits will the acquisition bring?

Social benefits might include community involvement, development of affordable housing, and increased recreation and access benefits for particular groups within the

11 community (eg young or old people, unemployed, disabled) etc. 300 words maximum.

We fully expect that Community ownership will provide a social focus for community involvement and further enhance the amenity of the Wood for all existing users. In this respect MWT already has an excellent track-record of community involvement. MWT works closely with local residents and users (Scouts, Cub Scouts, Driving for the Disabled, Redwing Riding School, walkers). There is a concern within the Community that if the community acquisition does not go ahead then the amenity and conservation value of the Wood could reduce, or even disappear, depending on the intentions of the new owner.

We believe that the Wood could provide a strong educational benefit given the diverse habitat already in the wood. The geological, glaciological and archaeological histories are also of great educational potential (see Section 5.9). The Wood is also believed to be a suitable location for the RSPB's'Nature Friendly Schools' project and their planned 'Growing up with your Local Greenspace project' (see Section 5.9). With this is mind we are considering options to create an outdoor classroom in the Wood for use by school parties. The use of the Storybook Glen car park by school parties will greatly assist them in their planning of future trips to the Wood. It will also allow them to use the facilities at Storybook Glen as part of their excursion. Support from local schools is further shown in Section 5.9.

We plan to improve further the access to the Wood as this has been a barrier in the past to users from the wider community, particularly schools and university groups. The parish church may use a space in the wood for outdoor services. One person so far has used an MWT event as part of his Duke of Edinburgh award. We expect this to increase in the future as we build our relationship with local schools.

5.3 What environmental benefits will the project bring?

Environmental benefits might include improvements to the way in which the land is managed, habitat benefits, improved deer control, protection or enhancement of archaeological features etc. Including information on environmental and heritage designations. 300 words maximum.

Much of the plan for the Wood is related to improving habitat for wildlife and creating a diverse environment for the community to enjoy. The Crynoch Burn is already part of the River Dee Special Area of Conservation. Our plans for this part of the Wood include controlling the bracken and some planting of alder and herbs close to the burn to increase the diversity of the riparian habitat. We will also liaise with Scottish Natural Heritage and the River Dee Trust to help us identify rtunities to im rove habitat and remove obstructions for rni fish includ

12 salmon, sea trout and brown trout) and encourage otters and water voles. Plans may need to include control of mink (trapping) in the vicinity of Crynoch Burn to protect fish and water vole populations.

We plan to restock using native trees and shrubs which will provide suitable habitat for red squirrels and other fauna. We also plan to restore the degraded Caledonian pinewood in the SW part of the Wood. The ancient Scot's pines in that area are heavily crowded by spruce, which has also killed off most of the ground cover (blaeberry survives only in small patches). Deer fencing or control will be required in this area to help natural regeneration.

We plan wide rides in the restocked areas to increase the floral diversity. We plan the creation of at least one pond in the Wetland conservation area to widen further the habitat for birds and bats as well as frogs, toads and newts. The archaeological features, including a probable round house & enclosures in the NW corner of the Wood, will be avoided during replanting (to avoid future damage by roots). Further surveys will be planned for the rest of the Wood and the results reflected in the management plan.

5.4 Tell us how you will deliver these economic, environmental, or social benefits.

What projects or outputs will bring these benefits about?

Tell us about the capital costs involved in the delivery of the projects, and how these will be met. Please refer to any plans or other documents you are submitting. Please also identify the risks of the project not delivering, and how these risks will be managed. Please attach any additional documents. 300 words maximum.

Base running costs incl. insurance: £l,600/yr Restocking clear-fell area 2015/16: £63,000 (11.2Ha @2500 trees/he, £2.25/tree incl collar), volunteer labour. Stump grinding, where appropriate: £10,000 (contractor) Other restocking 2017 - 2030+: £l,OOO/yr, volunteer labour Bridge over Crynoch Burn 2017: £20,000 (contractor) Fencing 2015: £13,200 (2400m@ £5.50/m) (volunteer labour/ contractor) Path through Storybook Glen with gate 2014: £4,000 (contractor) Gates 2014: £500 (volunteer labour) Bank strengthening 2019: £10,000 (contractor)

The expected income from sales of timber, including firewood and wood mulch is <£1000 in the first 6 ects within this eriod will need to be funded

13 by grants or charitable donation.

Additional grants will be sought from the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP). MWT may also be eligible for grants under the Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels scheme (within SRDP). The largest source of local funding will be the Meikle Carewe Community Fund. This fund has a value of £20,400/yr for the next 25 years, all allocated for community projects within Area in proximity to the new Meikle Carewe Wind Farm. The Wood falls within this area. Applications for this fund will be possible from later this summer. Other grants will be sought via SNH, CWA & the charitable contacts from Maclay, Murray & Spens. The biggest risk to the plan is a delay in grants, meaning work will get deferred until such time as the grant funding is available. This is not desirable, but there is little activity in the Wood which cannot be phased to coincide with funding.

MWT will ensure that its plans can meet the current UKFSand Guidelines (2011) before it takes ownership of the Wood.

5.6 What negative economic, social, or environmental consequences (if any) may occur as a result of your plans for the land?

Increased use of the Wood could increase litter and might potentially create parking congestion in the Kirkton, particularly on Polston Road which is currently the main access point to the wood. Wider knowledge of the Wood could attract off-road motorcycles and quad bikes.

5.7 How would you propose to minimise these?

New access points to the Wood will limit the attraction of parking on Polston Road. It may also be possible to re-site the gate at the end of Polston Road such that cars can park further into the Wood.

14 New gates with new padlocks will prevent unauthorised vehicle access to the Wood. The gate near Redwing Riding School can be modified to prevent vehicles driving around the gate!

Litter will be managed by regular clean-up trips by volunteers, as happens already.

5.8 Links to other strategies

How will your plans support or compliment local/regional/national strategies?

The application should take into account local strategies and community plans. 100 words maximum.

The MWT can meet some of the objectives of the SRDP: enhancing biodiversity and the landscape, improving business viability and supporting thriving rural communities.

Our plans will help mitigate some of the habitat loss on south Deeside as a consequence of the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and the new housing developments at Blairs and Elsick (all shown on map in Appendix2). The increased attraction of the Wood should be of benefit to Storybook Glen and local hotels/inns. Work offered for tender by MWT may be of benefit to local businesses.

The plans also align with the RSPBinitiative of Nature Friendly Schools -there are 3 sizable primary schools that are within 4km of the Wood.

Our plans could support Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels, particularly important as the AWPRwill thro h the red uirrel habitat on Kincausie Estate. 5.9 It will be helpful 1:0 snow crrar you nave !::ICllln:::u the support of key stakeholders and user groups for your proposals, including site users from outwith the immediate community.

You can show this through letters of support from local authorities, relevant government agencies, and local community groups or using Scottish Land Fund endorsement forms. Please submit any letters of support or endorsements with your application and record them on the checklist.

Letters of support have been received from:

Sir Robert Smith, MP Alison McInnes MSP

15 Richard Baker, MSP Maryculter Scout Group Maryculter Driving for the Disabled Lairhillock School Culter Primary School River Dee Trust North Kincardine Rural Community Council Claire Marsden, RSPB

Copies of these letters are included with this application (Appendix 4)

Applicant Signature

An Office Bearer of the applicant organisation should sigh this declaration. It must be a different person to the main contact given in Section 1.

Part of the information that you give us will be held electronically. It will be used for administering and analysing applications.

I declare that:

The information given in this application and in any other documentation that supports this application is accurate.

Title: Dr I First Name: Trevor I Surname: Hastings Position held in your Secretary organisation Date: 18.6.13 Signature

Finishing Your Application

Contact

The National Forest Land Scheme Team Forestry Commission Scotland National Office

16 Appendix 1. Resume of Board Members

Chairman: Ed Thorogood, D.Phii (Oxon), FGS. Ed is the founding chairman of MWT. He runs his own company advising large oil & gas companies on Field Development and leadership.

Deputy Chairman: David Brainwood MSc. David moved from a research post in Molecular Biology to work in IT. He now manages enterprise systems for a major company in the oil & gas sector. David also owns and manages a small y.'ood.

Secretary: Trevor Hastings, BA(Mod), PhD. Trevor is retired. He was formerly Director of the Scottish Government Freshwater Laboratory at Pitlochry and prior to that was Science Director for Aquaculture and Aquatic Animal Health at the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen. He is a member of the Forvie National Nature Reserve Advisory Panel.

Publicity: Inga Milne. Inga is a teacher and has a lot of experience of fund raising. Her family run a Christmas tree business.

Treasurer: Sue Dunlop. Office administrator.

Website: Krishnan Nambiar. Krishan is a company director and has run his own restaurant business. He is currently studying for a Masters degree.

Co-opted director: Nigel Astell. Nigel has run his own business (Astell Associates) since 1975 (www.astellassociates.co.uk). He is a highly experienced environmental, arboricultural and landscape consultant, specializing in red squirrels, bats and otters. He is a licensed barn owl surveyor. He also owns Eastland Foresters, specialising in tree surgery.

18 Appendix 2. The geographical area of the Community is Ward SW1701 (Maryculter), shown below. The route selected for the AWPR and the planned development at Elsick are also shown.

19 Appendix 3. Planned Activity by Zone

an,Hill \ 10_

r '\'.{QJ1~~~·A·::·-·..: Or. . ". -...": .. . .

Forestry Track •• ··1 Path

~ Entrance

Conservation area a I(I~ 11 (Crynoch Burn)' Maintain Conservation area b fD (Old Scots Pine) Restore Conservation area e [fJ (wetland): Enhance wetland

Maturespruce & hemlock Thin, limited restock ,\,T1,

Clear tell area Restock 0• native trees Immature spruce & larch. Fell 2030+, native replant

Broadleafarea Thin. 0 limited restoek

20