This overview from Wendy Cunningham was originally published in the Community Woodlands Association Winter 2023 Newsletter.
Leadburn Community Woodland
Our young woodland, a former Forestry Commission plantation, lies 12 miles south of Edinburgh just inside the Scottish Borders. The original 100-acre site of Lodge Pole pine and Sitka spruce was clear-felled in 2001 and was offered as a community purchase.
Friends of Leadburn Community Woodland was formed after a meeting of
interested local people and an organised walk along the two former railway lines marking the “A” shape of our main paths.
As volunteers we wanted to have a light touch; encouraging nature to take its course with our intervention used sparingly, creating habitats to be enjoyed by visitors.
The first woodland tree was planted in April 2007 and over subsequent years a total of 9,500 trees(of 38 native species) have been added growing alongside emergent birches and other pioneer species. The path network has been extended and improved as more people have discovered the woodland.
An increase in visitors was most marked following lockdown when people from surrounding settlements discovered the woodland and it has now become a meeting point for families and friends.
Volunteers
None of the developments at the woodland would have been possible without the dedication of our volunteers, led by Rik Smith.
In the early years we had a small group of four or five regulars who joined our monthly volunteer sessions, but thanks to Rik we now have a group of around 60 volunteers who put in 1200 hours over the last year.
Work includes:
- removing (and reusing) tree tubes from established trees
- clearing ditches, building and maintaining paths
- planting trees and transplanting saplings across the woodland and elsewhere
A volunteer gathering has been held in recent years, allowing those working on different projects and at different times to meet up, have a walk and picnic together to celebrate their achievements.
We also work with volunteer groups such as
- Lothians Conservation Volunteers
- Green Team and
- young people working towards their Duke of Edinburgh and John Muir Trust awards
In summer 2021 we held a successful Bioblitz, supported by various subject experts who were happy to donate their time in identifying which species were present at Leadburn.
The woodland lies at 300m and is on the watershed, with the Lead Burn flowing north to join the North Esk and the Craigburn flowing south to join the Eddleston Water, a tributary of the River Tweed. Four ponds were established across the woodland in 2011 supported by WREN funding. In recent years the ponds have been monitored as part of the Eddleston Water Project (EWP).
The woodland is also home to several raised bogs. 17 hectares of bog restoration was undertaken in 2009, funded by SNH. In 2019 we purchased the neighbouring Forest Research experimental site (nine hectares), once again funded under the Community Asset Transfer by SLF. Working with PeatlandACTION nearly four hectares is being restored as a raised bog, with water levels on the three bogs being monitored by one of our volunteers as part of an academic study. Another of our volunteers is monitoring the evolution of the most recently restored bog through monthly drone photography. Last year we invited our local MSP to visit the woodland and she was joined by Mairi McAllan, then Environment and Land
Reform minister. We showed our visitors our bog restoration work, but also
discussed (and questioned) our close proximity to four extant and active peat
extraction sites.
Christmas Trees
Over the next few weekends our woodland volunteers will be busy, selling young regenerated Lodge Poles and Sitkas fresh from the woodland as Christmas trees.
For a decade these sales funded some of the materials and tools at the woodland, but in the last three years we have been in the fortunate position of being able to donate a total of £30,000 to various environmental charities, from our Christmas tree sales. We have more than 800 supporters who buy our trees and spread the word about our activities.
What’s next for Leadburn?
- Our volunteers are now involved with various local “offsite” projects removing rhododendrons on a SSSI, taking conifers off a neighbouring peat bog and reusing tree tubes from trees planted in 2012 as part of the EWP
- At the beginning of December we are hosting a visit from Meer Bomen Nu/More Trees Now from the Netherlands as we are setting up a pilot project to undertake sapling rescue, set up a tree hub at Leadburn and learn about the newly developed Treefinder website/app
- We are working with volunteers from other woodlands, are part of the Northwoods network and look forward to seeing increased biodiversity at the woodland and sharing best practice with others
DO VISIT!
For more information:
Web: www.leadburnwood.com
Instagram: @leadburncommunity
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