Our Voices

Over the Easter weekend, led by Alasdair Firth of the Woodland Trust Scotland; we equipped ourselves with the knowledge and skills to assess the impact of herbivores on ecosystems. Over the course of the weekend we learned how to use the Herbivore Impact Assessment methodology, in the process we visited a number of sites with … Read more

We are seeking regular volunteers to help us tend the wood. We can sort your travel expenses. Read on! With thanks to a generous grant from the Argyll Supporting Communities Fund, we are delighted to be able to offer reimbursement of travel expenses for volunteers within the Cowal & Bute area. We also welcome our … Read more

A group of local teens gathered around a woodland fire close to the community orchard at the weekend for the second installment of their exploration of the Ash tree. Led by Marylou Anderson of the Argyll Outdoor Woodland Learning group, with supporting facilitation by local Green woodworker Mark Bamford & our Forest Ranger Rhyddian Knight; … Read more

Amongst some other top line tasks this week, I’ve been making content for the new website. Without a current community led plan, in an attempt to qualify a new webpage titled ‘Our Ambition’, this short blog is an unexpected outcome. Based on the ‘with people’ component of some current reflections on ‘Land Care’, ‘People Care’; … Read more

Let’s start this new year appeal with a song…. Disclaimers On Easter Monday 2024, from 12am, Glenan Wood will be home to a world premiere Tik-Tok Tick-Talk. If you want more, less or the same level of apparent nonsense such as this in your forest you best read on; because this blog appeal is all about … Read more

UK Habitat Survey Completed Today marks the completion of a long awaited UK Habitat Survey at the wood, which will afford us a baseline in which to mark improvements in biodiversity and develop projects. In addition to this, the consultants at envirocentre will supply an invasive species survey and map, alongside an aerial drone survey; … Read more

2022 was a tough year for staffing, and this presented a lot of challenges for community engagement, with a lack of funds it was inevitable that the ranger position would be terminated entirely in the Spring. I mitigated this by a reduction of hours to a day a week, and concentrated with board support on … Read more

It was a pleasant afternoon, the recent ice and snow had receded and the temperature had risen to a balmy 10 degrees centigrade when we decided to take a stroll with the dog into Glenan. It was cloudy overhead and thankfully no rain forecast. The path as expected was the usual muddy affair and wellies … Read more

[The following presentation was made by Rhyddian Knight, Forest Ranger at Glenan Wood at the last FOGW AGM] Preamble I wish to extend my gratitude for such a warm welcome & orientation to the area this year from members of the community, members of the FOGW board; and particularly to my colleague Mick Eyre. It … Read more

[submitted for edition 3 of the Kilfinan Forest Community Newsletter in the Spring of 2021] Last week, there was a chap bemoaning someone bringing food into the area from out of town. What with the hungry gap soon to be over, the birch sap rising & food appearing to appear again on the wild margins; … Read more