Future Forestry Taking Shape

27 November 2024

I have been asked by many of our visiting clients and guests over the past months what the canes with pink markers signify around the estate. For those who haven’t been around to hear the response, I wanted to share our plans for new Riparian Woodlands, which we are currently designing and discussing with stakeholders. We hope this will be the first of successive phases of Riparian woodland which will be planned and developed to:

• Improve the overall tree cover on Kingairloch and provide low ground shelter and habitat for a range of species.
• Gradually grow and stabilize riverbanks and the floors of the valleys to prevent sediment and peat erosion, and aid bank stability.
• Shade pools in the rivers and provide organic matter which in turn can help to reduce water temperatures and increase water quality for fish.
• Improve hydrological habitat as, over the years, some of these trees will eventually end up in the river—their dead wood providing eddy pools, shaded habitat and nutrients for insects and fish in the river.

The marker pegs themselves represent the proposed fence lines which will be installed to protect the growth of native tree species such as birch, alder, willow, Scots pine, rowan etc., from our resident deer and feral goat populations. In the longer term, both herbivore species will benefit from the growth and expansion of the forest on the valley floor, albeit they temporarily lose grazing area whilst enclosures are maintained. In this initial phase, a little over 11 Ha of woodland will be planted.

It is worth noting that the above is one of several environmental initiatives the estate is undertaking in the delivery of our core guiding principle No.3: ‘Evolve in an environmentally responsible way and strengthen biodiversity.’

Last quarter we discussed the hard works which had been undertaken to support our resident Golden Eagle project. With each release of this newsletter, we hope to inform our readership on the progress being made on this environmental evolution. If in the interim you wish to read more on our environmental stewardship or to contribute financially to these initiatives, please visit the new updated page of our website at:www.kingairloch.co.uk/environmental-fundFor our local community or relevant stakeholders, letters regarding our forestry developments will be circulated shortly.

Disclaimer: All environmental donations received will be reconciled at year end and assigned to a specific environmental project capital fund. This will take place alongside other government support we may receive and our private financing allocation.