Work to improve Elgin Oakwood set to begin
Woodland improvement work is due to start at Elgin Oakwood later this month as part of efforts to protect and enhance one of Moray's most important natural habitats.
Moray Council will be carrying out the sensitive removal of a number of non-native trees, including beech, Douglas fir and Sitka spruce, which can outcompete native oak woodland if left unmanaged. The work is part of a longer-term programme of management of the area and is expected to begin in mid-September and continue for several months, weather permitting.
The work is being funded by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund with additional support from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution - which runs the local electricity network in Moray - for replanting work near overhead power lines.
The project aims to allow more light to reach the woodland floor, encouraging the growth of young oak trees, shrubs, ferns and wildflowers, while increasing biodiversity and helping the woodland adapt to climate change. Areas that are cleared will be replanted with native tree species and tree stumps will be re-used as seating in local primary schools.
Over the past three years, volunteers and specialists have removed smaller non-native trees, collected around 1,000 old tree guards and planted 100 oak saplings. Recent wildlife surveys have also highlighted the ecological importance of the site, with 56 species of plants and wildflowers recorded during the public Bioblitz event.
Some temporary traffic management will be required on the A96 later in the programme and visitors may experience occasional short closures of the Brumley Brae car park while timber is removed from the site. Safety signage will be in place throughout the works with disruption to the paths network kept to a minimum.
Chair of Moray Council's Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee, Cllr Marc Macrae, said: "Elgin Oakwood is a special place for both wildlife and the local community. This work will help create the conditions needed for native trees and plants to thrive, supporting a healthier, more resilient woodland for future generations."
Moray Council is also working in partnership with SSEN Distribution to remove trees that pose a risk to the nearby overhead power line. SSEN is funding the replanting of woodland beside the power line corridor as part of its wider Nature4Networks programme.
Tim Watts, SSEN Distribution’s Future Network Project Manager, commented: “We’re pleased to be supporting the work Moray Council is carrying out in this area to support biodiversity and natural resilience in the face of an ever-more volatile climate, and the risk of habitat loss.
“The council’s objectives coincide with our own, and that’s why - as part of our Nature4Networks project - we’re planting mixed broadleaf woodland in a way that better protects our own overhead electricity network from the elements, while also improving the amenity and diversity of this precious natural habitat.”