Strategic Lochaber Forest District Strategic Plan 2009-2013 Click here to begin Strategic plan 2009-2013 Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 3 About Lochaber Forest District .................................................................................................................6 Section one: strategic context .....................................................................................................13 Context ............................................................................................................................................................14 Strategic priorities for Lochaber Forest District .................................................................................16 Forest policy context...................................................................................................................................20 Section two: how Lochaber Forest District contributes to the delivery of the Scottish Forestry Strategy ...................................................................................21 Key theme one: climate change ..............................................................................................................23 Key theme two: timber ..............................................................................................................................29 Key theme three: business development .............................................................................................34 Key theme four: community development .........................................................................................39 Key theme five: access and health..........................................................................................................43 Key theme six: environmental quality ..................................................................................................46 Key theme seven: biodiversity .................................................................................................................50 Section three: delivery and monitoring..................................................................................... 57 Appendices: ................................................................................................................................60 Appendix one: supporting maps ............................................................................................................61 Appendix two: evaluation of achievements (1999-2006) under previous strategic plan ....67 Appendix three: glossary for forest policy context diagram ..........................................................82 Appendix four: local thematic plans, management plans and guidance notes ......................84 Appendix five: portfolio analysis scoring on the national forest estate .....................................86 Using the document This document is principally intended to be read as an online publication and there are several hyperlinks linking readers to the Forestry Commission Scotland website for relevant publications. Please use the Microsoft Word ‘edit: find’ facility to search for specific words. 2 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Strategic plan 2009-2013 - Introduction Introduction Local woodlands act as a catalyst for communities to get involved with projects and volunteering, or simply enjoy the many walking trails, bike rides and peace and quiet that forests offer. 3 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction Lochaber Forest District Introduction The Scottish Forestry Strategy was launched in October 2006 as the Scottish Government’s framework for taking forestry forward through the first half of this century and beyond. This strategic plan defines how Forestry Commission Scotland, through its operating arm, Forest Enterprise Scotland, will implement the Scottish Forestry Strategy on that part of the national forest estate in Lochaber Forest District. This is a five-year plan starting in 2009 and finishing in 2013. This strategic plan will also provide direction for implementing a repositioning policy that will ensure that the nature and distribution of the national forest estate better reflects its role and purpose. This plan has been amended to reflect the feedback from a formal consultation process during 2008. The summarised consultation responses and the Forest Enterprise Scotland response are both available on the Forestry Commission Scotland website. This strategic plan will also provide This plan has been amended to reflect the direction for implementing a repositioning feedback from a formal consultation process policy that will ensure that the nature and during 2008. The summarised consultation distribution of the national forest estate responses and the Forest Enterprise Scotland better reflects its role and purpose. response are both available on the Forestry Commission Scotland website. 4 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction The strategic plan is divided into three sections: Section one: strategic context Section three: delivery and monitoring This section explains how this strategic plan relates This section gives an overview of how Lochaber to other Forestry Commission Scotland policies Forest District will effectively and efficiently deliver and strategies, taking a lead from the Scottish the strategic plan. It includes sections on: Forestry Strategy and the strategic plan for the national forest estate. • the operating principles that underpin all Forest Enterprise Scotland policies, operations and activities Section two: how Lochaber Forest • delivery mechanisms, including District contributes to delivery of repositioning the national forest estate the Scottish Forestry Strategy • the monitoring and implementation process This section describes the context and specific actions that will be undertaken on the national forest estate in the district under each of the seven Impact on environment and equality themes of the Scottish Forestry Strategy: The results of environment and equality and diversity impact assessments of the strategic plan • climate change are available on the Forestry Commission • business development Scotland website. • timber • community development Review • access and health A review will take place towards the end of the • environmental quality period of delivery of the plan. If significant changes are made to the Scottish Forestry Strategy we will, • biodiversity if necessary, prepare a new strategic plan. The baseline figures detailed in the monitoring section of the strategic plan for the national forest estate will be updated and reported on annually with contributions from each district. 5 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction About Lochaber Forest District One of the main features of the district is the Water spectacular mountain scenery, including Ben The Great Glen dominates the district and the Nevis, and the way that the forests nestle into the legacy of geological upheaval and glacial action are landscape. Many of the forests are 20th century the lochs and rivers we see today. The shattered plantations of very productive conifers that are rocks along the Great Glen fault have been scoured an important source of timber. These forests by ice and long, deep sea and freshwater lochs are complimented by the ancient semi-natural now remain along its length. woodlands that include the Sunart Oakwoods and the Glengarry Pinewoods both of which are The major water catchments in the district are the internationally important habitats. Great Glen, Glen Garry, Glen Spean, Loch Shiel, Glen Nevis, Glen Hurich, Loch Leven, Arienas and Lochaber is a popular tourist destination and the Aline. A map of water catchments in the district is forests are enjoyed by local people and visitors to available in Appendix one. the area. Some visitors come to walk and to take in the landscapes while others take part in outdoor adventure sports including mountain biking on the Geology and landform world class trails in the district. Maps of the district The district lies in an area subject to intense and the forest blocks are given in Appendix one. geological action. Due to this complex geology faults are a common feature, punctuated by volcanic sills and intrusions that have been scoured Natural environment by millennia of wind, rain and ice. The district contains a particularly diverse range Climate of geological formations, characteristic of the The area is subject to an Atlantic maritime climate south-western Grampian Highlands. The area is characterised by cool, wet winters with few severe famous worldwide among geologists with its many frosts and wet warm summers. The annual rainfall eponymous rock types, such as Kentallanite and is about 2,000 mm/yr. Ballachulish slate. The Parallel Roads of Glen Roy and the Great Glen Fault are well known, and the lavas and granites of Glencoe and Ben Nevis are also very special. Intrusions of igneous granite characterise much of the mainland, mainly on land surrounding the Ballachulish area. Tertiary basalts associated with more recent volcanic activity dominate the geology of the western part of Morvern. 6 | Strategic plan 2009 - 2013 Introduction About Lochaber Forest District Soils Landscape Varied geology and landform results in a There is a wide range of physical landforms in the wide range of principally upland soil types. district, from rugged and spectacular mountain Characteristically, soils on the upland