Scotland's Finest Woods Awards

Roll of honour

Winners 2011

New Native Woods Award >>

Schools Award >>

Community Woodlands Award >>

Quality Timber Awards >>

Woodland Trust Scotland Trophy for New Native Woods

Winner: David Long and Siobhan McDermott for Northwoode Native Woodland, Spottiswoode, Berwickshire

Runner-up: The Crown Estate for Altnaglander Native Woodland, Glenlivet estate, Banffshire

Highly Commended: Portlethen Moss Conservation Group for Portlethen Community Woodland, Aberdeenshire

Winner's Profile

An excellent example of an individual's commitment and drive to create a native woodland through the restructuring of an existing conifer plantation. Given the age of the conifer woodland being restructured (approx 10 - 15 years) no financial return has been made from the felling of the conifers.

The owners vision for an Upland Oak/Birch woodland (the woodland type suited to the ground conditions) is clearly being achieved through a combination of planting (primarily Oak) and encouraging natural regeneration (primarily Birch and Rowan). Care has been taken to retaining heathland areas as "open ground". The woodland is already hosting a variety of wildlife.

The owner has made good use of conservation volunteers to help take this project forward and has been able and willing to undertake his own site surveys, management planning and a long-term monitoring programme to help inform future management decisions and other projects of a similar nature. As well as creating a substantial diverse woodland area the woodland will support a fuel wood resource for the owner's property into the future.

Schools Award

Winner: Rosneath Primary School, Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire

Runner up: Campie & Whitecraig Primary Schools, Musselburgh, East Lothian

Winner's Profile

A whole school project - Forest Schools Friday - which was developed in partnership with Rosneath and Clynder Community Action Trust using their local Community Woodland. The project enabled all pupils to learn practical and curriculum focussed skills in the community woodland and included social history research and intergenerational work. The project culminated in a celebratory Community Open Day which brought local people together to increase community ownership of the woodland resource.

Tim Stead Trophy for Community Woodlands in the Central Scotland Green Network Activity Area

Winner: Dedridge Environment Ecology project for Dedridge Burn Plantation, West Lothian

Runner-up: Dunbar Community Woodlands Group for Lochend Wood, Dunbar, East Lothian

Highly Commended: Central Scotland Forest Trust and Greenlink Project, Motherwell, Lanarkshire

Highly Commended: Royal Edinburgh Community Gardens at Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh

Commended: Dalkeith High School for Dalkeith Community Orchard, Dalkeith, Midlothian

Winner's Profile

A fantastic little woodland in the middle of Livingston, known only to local residents, but deserving to be known by many more. The enthusiasm and hard work of the local group is matched by the professional woodland management that has been carried out, with nature trails and wildlife sculptures competing for attention. The appreciation of local residents is obvious from their ongoing involvement in the project - a truly deserving winner.

Quality Timber Awards

Hunter Blair Trophy for Silvicultural Excellence in a single stand

Winner: Dalnahaiglish, Glenferness Estate, Nairnshire
submitted by Scottish Woodlands Ltd for Lady Balgonie

The judges felt that the woods in Glenferness Estate as a whole, and the stand of over-mature Douglas fir at Dalnahaiglish in particular, have clearly been managed consistently to produce high quality timber. Forestry income is clearly an important element of estate revenue and the Douglas fir stand continues to achieve very high prices from specialist markets. The estate starts the process of managing for quality at an early stage. Restocking is excellent, stands are managed with appropriate intensity and the estate tends towards longer rotations.

John Kennedy Trophy for quality timber production on whole estates

Winner: Ramsaygrain East & Rashiegrain Forests, Roxburghshire
submitted by UPM Tilhill

The judges were extremely impressed by the quality of intensive operational management and the detailed consideration applied to choice of locations for mixed species crops, long term retentions and the changes to forest structure. This is a reflection of the close working partnership of the Forest Manager, Wildlife manager and Harvesting Manager which has resulted in outstanding restocking crops of improved material across very large upland sites. The success of the restocking reflects adherence to the best standards of management planning for all of the forestry work and of successful crop protection. The properties were an outstanding example of restructuring of commercial timber production forest areas and of the quality control of all operational practice being exercised by the managers.