Kilfinan Community Forest Company

Aerial view of Acharossan Forest.

National Forest Land Scheme case study

Kilfinan Community Forest Company: Acharossan Forest The applicant Kilfinan Community Forest Company (KCFC) is a charitable company limited by guarantee established in 2007 to take forward the community acquisition and development of Acharossan Forest. The community area covers the Kilfinan parish on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and is formally defined using postcode area PA21. The company membership of 200 is drawn from a resident population of just over 700, a considerable decline from a high of over 2000 in the 1950s. The parish is popular with retirees, who make up 70% of the adult population, whilst approximately 60% of the private houses in the area are second homes.

National Forest Land Scheme case study 1 www.forestry.gov.uk/nfls Kilfinan Community Forest Company: Acharossan Forest

6 families or individuals interested in alternative The hill grazing land that became housing provision. Acharossan Forest was acquired by the The National Forest Land Scheme (NFLS) requires that Forestry Commission in 1963; at one stage community support for larger projects (over £50,000) they employed 37 people locally, but this is demonstrated by a community ballot: this was declined rapidly, with the local office held in June 2007, and administered by Argyll & closing in 1987. This reflects a general Bute Council. 392 votes were cast from a possible shift in the local economy, with farming, 622 (64% turnout): 297 (76%) voted “yes” to the ballot fishing and forestry being partially question “Do you support the proposed purchase of part of Acharossan Forest by the replaced by the service sector and Kilfinan Community?”. tourism, and an overall contraction of the jobs market, accompanied by a decline The application to acquire 447 ha of Acharossan in service provision, a fall in the school roll Forest adjacent to Tighnabruaich was submitted in from 60 to 30, and a growing shortage of May 2008. Key elements of the community proposal, affordable housing. as detailed in the Community Forest Management Plan (June 2007) and the KCFC Business Plan (2008), were: Project development and the • Improved recreation and access with path NFLS process networks and multi-use tracks and a safe play area for children. The Kilfinan Community Forest project grew from the • Developing a range of forestry-related jobs and recognition that Acharossan was an underutilised training opportunities resource with the potential to create opportunities • Facilitation of small business enterprises for a sustainable future for the local economy in • Developing environmental education and recreation, tourism, education and the volunteering opportunities local environment. The application area was 61% forest with the other Extensive community consultations were carried out 39% unplanted, including a small loch (a further to develop the project and garner community support reservoir, owned by Scottish Water, is contained and ideas: from August – October 2005, supported within the site). Sitka spruce, some of very poor by Scottish Native Woods and Reforesting Scotland, quality, made up over 80% of the stocked area, and then in 2007 when local community animateurs with the remainder comprising a variety of conifers were engaged, supported by Highlands and Islands (including Lodgepole pine, Norway spruce and larch) Enterprise (HIE) Community Land Unit and Fyne and some small areas of native broadleaves. Homes. The consultation process included public meetings, interactive exhibitions in the village hall, The forest was planted in two tranches: 65ha of forest questionnaires distributed door-to-door and monthly in 1963, most of the remainder in the mid-1970s, newsletters posted on community notice boards. and there had been little subsequent management. Critically, there was no internal roading, and the A range of issues were identified, notably the need long-established right of way to Kilfinan was for more full time residents, the lack of housing and obscured by windblow and rhododendron. It was not recreational opportunities, and the demand for jobs considered possible to extract timber down through and training opportunities. A Housing Needs survey the village, so an agreement to use the Forestry in May 2007 identified 8 families or individuals who Commission Scotland road at the far end of the were interested in small holdings or crofts to support plantation was negotiated. a range of small scale business enterprises and

National Forest Land Scheme case study 2 www.forestry.gov.uk/nfls 3 Kilfinan Community Forest Company: Acharossan Forest

The NFLS application was approved, however, when KCFC have been exploring the potential for renewables. the Big Lottery Fund refused to support the acquisition A 60m meteorological mast has been erected to assess of a public sector asset it was apparent that KCFC the wind resource, whilst a feasibility study for a hydro would not be able to raise the £500,000 purchase scheme on the Allt Mhor burn suggested a potential price. Instead, discussions were initiated with Forestry output of 67kW. Other potential developments including Commission Scotland regarding a phased purchase: the creation of 3 or 4 woodland crofts, and the four options were identified, and after assessment of establishment of 6 house plots (0.2ha plots), a couple the funds available, it was decided to acquire 127 ha, of which may be made available for self-build. valued at £130,000. HIE provided 50%, with the rest raised locally, including £5k from the Kilfinan Trust and Improving public access to the forest has been an an interest free loan of £30K. important thread of KCFC’s work since acquisition. A network of paths is being created, including a The area acquired is the SW corner of the forest, route up the Alt Mhor burn to a waterfall that has adjacent to Tighnabruaich and incorporating the 1963 been inaccessible for years, whilst the Tighnabruaich plantings. The remaining 320ha is being held by school path project is intended to create a safe route Forestry Commission Scotland until March 2015, at for kids to get to school. A volunteer group, meeting which point the community is expected to confirm that every Tuesday, has been busy creating footpaths, they wish to acquire the remainder. making picnic and bench areas, assisted by volunteer workgroups from the charity New Caledonian Woodlands. After the NFLS KCFC’s plans for the forest include several projects A recently awarded £10,000 grant from Awards which required further development and funding, and For All Scotland will develop new trails, create more to take these forward a two-year Development officer pedestrian access points into the forest, erect squirrel post was created, funded from July 2011 by HIE & and bird boxes, provide new picnic areas, create new Argyll and the Islands LEADER, with a remit to complete information and display boards, install a bicycle rack, a long-term forest plan and develop strategies to and improve and increase public car parking facilities. maximise the potential that the forest has for providing jobs, homes, recreation, educational experiences KCFC have also been keen to develop a broader and facilities. sustainability agenda, as demonstrated by their Growing Green project, funded over two years to Funding has also been secured from HIE and March 2012 by £328,000 from the Climate Challenge LEADER for a one-year project to increase KCFC’s Fund. This had five components: home energy audits, income-generating capacity by establishing a timber a car-sharing scheme, local produce markets, a processing yard and garden retail outlet. In addition, community composting scheme (in the forest) and the project will build 500 metres of access road into the the establishment of allotments. The composting forest and create three new jobs. The road will enable scheme receives an income from Argyll & Bute Council KCFC to generate income through timber harvesting, based on tonnage diverted from landfill, whilst the and will help carry forward other projects, such as flourishing allotments group has 28 raised beds inside walking and cycling trails. The processing yard, with a polytunnel, and a further 16 outside. an industrial-grade milling machine, will facilitate a professional timber supply and delivery service to the local area, whilst the garden retail outlet will sell a small range of essential garden and forest products, including seasoned fuel wood from the forest.

National Forest Land Scheme case study 3 www.forestry.gov.uk/nfls Kilfinan Community Forest Company: Acharossan Forest

For more information go to: Reflections www.kilfinancommunityforest.co.uk The passage of the Kilfinan project through the NFLS was not always smooth, and the unavailability of funding was a major setback; however the flexibility of the Scheme in permitting a phased purchase has allowed the community to develop and deliver a range of projects on the reduced area.

One of the biggest lessons learned is that project development takes a lot of time and effort: this is true both of the planning and fundraising for specific projects, and the building and maintenance of community consensus. Since acquiring the forest, KCFC have been very successful in securing public sector funding, which has created employment and enabled much-needed investment in infrastructure; the key challenge for the future is to ensure that these investments lead to the establishment of sustainable income streams from the forest.

Timeline

Recruited woodfuel and Infrastructure development Initial community Community Forest Growing Green Climate Development officer post composting officer project started consultations, Management Plan, Challenge Fund Project, established, July 2011 August-October 2005 June 2007 2010-2012 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

May 2008

March 2010

employed, 2007

127 hectares acquired, 447 hectares submitted, Phased purchase agreed, NFLS application to acquire approved, September 2012 Local community animateurs

“Phase 3” development project

For further information please contact Forestry Commission Scotland Tel: 0131 334 0303 231 Corstorphine Road E-mail: [email protected] Edinburgh EH12 7AT Web: www.forestry.gov.uk/nfls