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Further Opportunities to Comment
Once Scottish Forestry are content with the Final Draft Design, it will be placed on their Public Register, and made available for formal comments to be made directly to them. The Public Register can be accessed using the following link: https://casebook.forestry.scot/w/webpage/prhome
This formal Scottish Forestry consultation period will last 28 days. After this period and once any relevant comments raised during the consultation period have been addressed, Scottish Forestry will give a formal EIA Screening Opinion on the project and consider the design for Forestry Grant Scheme funding.
Should you wish to receive notification of the application being placed on the Public Register, please contact Scottish Forestry directly at (Bothwell House, Hamilton Business Park, Central Scotland Conservancy, Caird Park, Hamilton ML3 0QA or centralscotland.cons@forestry.gov.scot).
What is East Nethershields Woodland Creation?
Tilhill has created a woodland creation design on behalf of our client (the landowner), whose objectives are to sequester carbon in order to mitigate climate change while bringing many other benefits including local biodiversity improvements, providing a sustainable home grown timber supply and developing a woodland for future generations to enjoy.
Below features all the surveys alongside a set of FAQ’s to help answer any questions you may have. If you have further questions or comments please do fill out the form at the bottom of this page which will go directly to the local Forest Manager.
Final Landscape Report
This report was commissioned by TIlhill to undertake a landscape and visual assessment. It is based on site survey carried out on 27th March 2023 and a desk-based assessment. During the site survey visit, in the company of Tilhill staff, a number of adjoining properties were visited and meetings were held with residents at 5 adjoining properties at Beechwood, Burn and Maiden Lea adjoining Lot 1 area and Cloverhill and Cloverhill Cottage adjoining Lot 2.
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Archaeology Survey
Mott MacDonald were commissioned by Tilhill Forestry to complete an historic environment desk-based assessment (DBA) and Walkover Survey. The DBA recommends that the planting design is modified to ensure that particular heritage assets are avoided and left in situ with appropriate buffer zones maintained. These assets will be suitably delineated prior to planting work commencing. All staff operating on site will also be comprehensively briefed on the likelihood and nature of surviving archaeological deposits through a detailed toolbox talk.
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Ecology Survey
Max and Sian Carstairs Ecological Consultants were commissioned by Tilhill to undertake ecological assessments with the aim to establish the current ecological value of the site as a guide to how this may be affected by the proposals. In addition, opportunities for ecological enhancement of the site via woodland creation were also assessed. Field surveys and a historical desk study were undertaken.
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Road Review Addendum
The following addendum explains how the recommendations of the Road Safety Review have been incorporated into the woodland design. The woodland design ensures that the current line of sight from each junction is not compromised by tree planting.
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Road Safety Survey
The report has been prepared for South Lanarkshire Council as a Road Safety Review on how the visibility splays will be affected on the existing roads layout associated with a
proposed area of woodland planting surrounding Nethershields Farm on the A723 Strathaven between Burn Road and the A723. The Review was on behalf of Tilhill Forestry and requested by Byron Braithwait. The Road Safety Review was carried out during October 2022
Soil Survey
East Nethershiels largely consists of “improved” agricultural soils which appear to have been significantly modified with cultivation, drainage, and additional nutrients over time. As there are no natural vegetation boundaries with which to stratify the site, the Hutton 25k soils layer provides an accurate basis for planning species and cultivation. Discreet areas of peat over 50cm have been identified, although their value as peatland is debatable given their past modification.
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Overshadowing Assessment
GIA has been appointed to provide an assessment of the potential shadows cast by the proposed design of the site at East Nethershields.
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Timber Extraction Survey
Tillhill have requested a review of a potential timber extraction junction on the A723 some 4.25km north of the centre of the town of Strathaven.
ViewFind out more about the East Nethershields Woodland Creation Plan
What is the proposed planting design?
The woodland design is spread across two sites, ‘Lot 1’ and ‘Lot 2’. Both areas comprise natives tree species, such as rowan, birch, alder and oak, using smaller trees and shrubs along edges to soften the appearance of the woodland boundary.
Moisture-favouring species such as willow and alder will be used in damper areas, which will help to alleviate local flooding issues while creating a wet woodland habitat.
For further information, read the landscape report above.
How many trees will be planted?
130,000 trees will be planted.
What types of trees will be planted? And why?
The woodland will consist of native tree species (68.94 hectares), including species such as oak, rowan, birch, alder, and cherry; these trees are lacking in the landscape, and so this represents a fantastic opportunity to bring back native woodland into the landscape. It is intended to manage the woodland as a long-term carbon store, without harvesting.
Why will some trees be planted for timber?
The UK is the third largest importer of timber in the world and continues to import 80% of its timber from overseas, which carries a significant carbon footprint. We need trees which will supply the wood we need for our everyday lives: for the frames of our homes and furnishings, fences and decking, packaging and much more. As pressure increases on global supplies of wood, failing to grow more at home risks over-exploiting valuable natural forests around the world.
Trees planted for timber sequester carbon quickly, making them a supercharged carbon capture technology in the fight against the Climate Emergency.
More importantly, productive forests do far more than store carbon on-site. Trees harness solar energy to transform atmospheric carbon dioxide into wood, a versatile material which can replace concrete, steel, brick and plastic in our supply chains. Wood is the ultimate 21st century renewable material, which smart design and technology can transform into zero-carbon, low-cost homes, plastic-free packaging, sustainable clothing, and many other products.
Productive forestry such as this will not only absorb carbon from the air, it will store it in wood products and substitute damaging fossil materials for carbon-negative wood.
In the Our Planet film, How to restore our forests, Sir David Attenborough calls for more ‘tree farms’ not only to supply timber, but to create new habitat networks and supplement the biodiversity of natural forests.
To find out more visit Confor’s Forestry & Timber Q&A
How much carbon will be sequestered throughout this project?
25,000 tonnes of CO2e is set to be sequestered – equivalent to emissions from the annual energy use of approximately 2,300 homes or roughly equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 4,600 cars.
Why plant trees?
Trees are essential for people, wildlife and the environment. They are one of our best tools for sequestering carbon and therefore tackling the climate crisis we find ourselves in. Woodlands are particularly precious habitats for land-based wildlife, improving water quality run off, whilst preventing flooding, so planting trees can lead to substantial improvement for local biodiversity.
Woodlands are special places to visit, and they are known for their social and mental health benefits. The proximity of this proposed woodland to Chapelton and Strathaven means that these benefits may be enjoyed by the local community. Accordingly, the suitability of this site is recognised in the local woodland strategy, and it will form part of the Central Scotland Green Network, which aims to restore the landscape in this region.
Does the site offer community access?
The site is open access in accordance with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. There will be gaps within the planting areas to create areas of open ground and the ability for visitors to walk around and enjoy the woodland.
You can find more information on access in the final landscape report above.
Species/ wildlife on site?
The proposed woodland is expected to benefit the existing bird and mammal communities. The increased structural diversity provided by woodland trees and open ground will create new habitats for wildlife, including shelter and nesting sites leading to net biodiversity gain across the site. The existing areas of deep peat and calcareous grassland within the site will be left as open ground and enhanced further by reducing grazing pressure. Tree species will be selected according to the context of each part of the site to benefit the land and ensure successful establishment.