Overview
The woodland is an irregularly shaped area of amenity land located between Birch Drive and Dunglass Road within the village. The 3.71ha site has full woodland cover, mainly broadleaves, with a mix of native and non-native species. The site was recently acquired by Maryburgh community and is a popular woodland frequently used by dog walkers and residents. The Highland Council Local Planning Authority (LPA) has placed the complete woodland under a Tree Preservation Order (TPO).
The woodland is mainly comprised of common beech (Fagus sylvatica) (60%) and silver/downy birch (Betula pendula/pubescens) (30%) with a wide range of other species forming the remainder (10%). The trees on the site range in maturity from saplings to over-mature specimens.
The Maryburgh Community Woodland Group (MCWG) was formed as a sub-group of the Maryburgh Amenities Company, with responsibility for developing and maintaining the woodland for everyone within Maryburgh community. Minutes of meetings
Image by: Craig Evans
Update November 2023
Warning – Tree Felling
During next week the tree surgeon, Ross-Shire Tree Surgery, will start work to cut damaged trees and remove fallen trees from the track. We are expecting this to take about a week. There will personnel and signs to let everyone know. Please follow any guidance given.
For everyone’s safety certain areas of the woodland will have restricted access while the work takes place.
Please don’t walk towards the noise of the works and for their safety please keep dogs on a lead.
This work was identified in the Tree Safety Survey carried out by A Jackman & R Fraser (MArborA) BSc. last November. The survey details are detailed below.
Our thanks go to Simon Logan – Ross-shire Tree Surgery, Conon Bridge, for working closely with the Maryburgh Community Woodland Group.
The Area of Woodland
The map below shows the area covered by the Community Woodland marked in red
Tree Safety Survey
A tree safety survey was carried out in November by A Jackman & R Fraser (MArborA) BSc on behalf of Maryburgh Amenities Company. Since then the MCWG has been obtaining quotes from qualified tree surgeons to carry out the maintenance work identified as part of the tree safety survey.
The trees marked by orange circles are to be felled by end of May, Trees marked by blue circles are to be felled by the end of November. Trees marked by green circles are to be monitored. Click on tree marker for further information.
Image by: Alternative Perspectives
Dangerous Trees
A number of dangerous trees were identified as part of the Tree Safety Survey and these will need to be felled before someone is injured. This work will take place before the 22 May 2023 as recommended by the Tree Safety Survey. Since the woodland is protected by a TPO, the community need to seek approval from the Highland Council before any trees can be cut down. See latest News for update of tree felling.
Consultation
The Maryburgh Community Woodland consultation ended on the 16th April 2023 and the online Consultation Questionnaire has now been removed. However, the Maryburgh Woodland Group are always ready to hear from anybody within the area who would like to contribute positively to the future development of the woodland.
The form below has been provided to allow local people to make suggestions regarding how the Maryburgh Community Woodland should be used in the future, to offer help or to report any concerns about the woodland.
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