PLANS to create one of the largest new woodlands in Europe at a Scottish loch have been given the green light.
Scottish Water is set to create more than 4600 hectares of native woodland at its Loch Katrine estate after the plans were approved by Scottish Forestry.
In a bid to capture more carbon and make the water catchment more resilient to climate change, Scottish Water developed the plan to create more woodland alongside Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS).
The eight-miles long freshwater loch supplies water to 1.3 million people in the Greater Glasgow area and other parts of the central belt via infrastructure built largely by the Victorians.
It is surrounded by 9500 hectares of land which is occupied and managed by FLS and located in the heart of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
Plans for the land at Loch Katrine include the restoration and maintenance of several hundred hectares of peatland across the site, as well as the creation of more than 4600 hectares – the equivalent of more than 6440 football pitches – of native woodland, largely through rewilding and natural regeneration.
It’s expected that these measures will increase the status of biodiversity at the site by 40% and capture up to 1m tonnes of carbon over the next 60 years.
The creation of new woodland is also set to stabilise soils, hold more water and slow runoff from the land, which it is hoped will result in less organic matter being washed into the loch and subsequently making its way into the water treatment works.
Scottish Water says more extreme rainfall due to climate change has made this a growing issue with further woodland cover allowing them to maintain high standards in water quality.
Dr Mark Williams, Scottish Water’s head of sustainability and climate change, said: “Loch Katrine is a hugely significant site in terms of Scotland’s natural environment, as well as being the basis of an essential service for around a quarter of Scotland’s population.
"It has nationally important peatland, moorland and woodland habitats, which offer many recreational opportunities for visitors and residents alike but which are also vitally important in our work to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis.
“The energy needed to provide essential water and waste water services makes Scottish Water one of the largest single users of electricity in the country, and whilst we are working hard to eliminate emissions across the entirety of our assets, we must also ensure that the woodland, peatland and natural habitats across our landholdings are thriving, able to lock up carbon and support our journey to net zero emissions.”
He added: “By taking a whole-catchment approach, this 10-year plan sets out a long-term vision which will help secure the resilience and quality of Loch Katrine as a vital water supply into the 22nd Century while also supporting nature, tourism and the rural economy.”
The site also makes an active contribution to the Great Trossachs Forest – an initiative driven by FLS, Woodland Trust Scotland, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
Once completed, the forest will stretch 16,500 hectares from Callander in the east to the shores of Loch Lomond in the west.
Simon Jones, director of environment and visitor services at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, said: “This signals another big step towards the National Park Authority’s goal to reverse the decline in nature by 2030 and see widespread restoration of nature by 2040.
“The water, peatland and woodland within the park are undoubtedly our greatest allies in tackling the twin crises of nature loss and the climate emergency.
“As well as our wildlife, the wider natural environment helps to deliver many essential aspects of our lives, from the nutritional value and availability of our food, and the health benefits of good air quality, to the livelihoods of those connected to it.
“It’s only through partnership working like this, we will achieve the scale of change required to ensure a sustainable future for the National Park.”
