Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland
Most local residents will be familiar with the area of clear fell at
Leadburn on the right hand side of the A703 just after the Leadburn
crossroads on the way to Eddleston - or perhaps you pass it daily on your commute in to
Edinburgh.
Well, it's time to start looking at it with new eyes. Instead of just a rather bleak area covered in trash and tree stumps it's our vision to transform it into an area of native trees, warm and alive with wildlife, and well used by local people for recreation.
Leadburn Wood is an area of former conifer plantation, previously owned by the Forestry Commission. It was clear felled in 2001/2 and, due to its unsuitability for commercial forestry, the Commission chose to sell the site after the timber had been extracted.
The Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland was formed in 2005 and purchased the site in February 2007. Financial assistance with the purchase was received from the Scottish Land Fund and from the European Community Scottish Borders Leader+ 2000-2006 Programme.
Volunteers
This is an early picture of some volunteer helpers having a first look at what needs to be done. Keep looking here for updates and for links to regular newsletters.
Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland run volunteer days on the last Sunday of every month. Thank you very much to all who turned up to help last year - even in some appalling weather! Last April, we were able to plant trees; the other days have mainly involved clearing some of the re-growth from the raised bog. Here, we welcome a much needed boost in manpower provided by 12 members of the Lothian Conservation Volunteers -
Volunteer Days are on the last Sunday of the month. All are welcome. Start at 10am - but whatever time you can spare will be very welcome - whether 1 hour or 6. Meet at the layby on the A703. All tools are provided - but make sure you are warmly dressed.
Planting so far has concentrated on native deciduous trees. Most of these have had to be protected by tree shelters because roe deer are present. So far we have planted a total of 2,800 trees comprising 20 different species. These include sessile oak, common alder, silver birch, goat willow and Scots pine. Last year's rather poor summer has meant that almost all of the tubed trees have grown very well; we believe that we have only lost one of them so far. I wonder if 2009 will be any better?
