Woodland
The Solway Coast has a diverse mix of woodland, from areas of wildwood, modern managed areas, mixed woodland, broad leaved forests and ancient woods of coppiced oak and hazel.
The coastal woodland zone includes lone trees clinging onto the windswept coastline itself through to trees further inland, benefitting from the maritime impact on the local micro-climate.
Our coastal woodlands offer a sheltered environment for walks and hides for bird and wildlife watching, and provide a sanctuary for insects, flora and fauna, wildlife and birds. The Solway Coastal woodlands zone plays an important role in other factors too, such as mitigating storm impacts, improving air quality, enhancing habitat provision as well as more varied impacts such as coastal erosion in the face of changing sea levels and carbon capture.
Often inaccessible, clinging to cliffs, these coastal woodlands create seedbanks of species adapted to this challenging environment. Inaccessibility can be a benefit for species under threat. For instance, it is estimated that a third of the national Galloway aspen clone bank has been collected from inaccessible coastal spots, and is now being used to repopulate aspen across the southwest of Scotland.
Today’s woodland areas often align with flagship visitor and public amenity sites.
But why have some areas of coastal woodland been lost over time, and why do others remain? SCAMP aims to work closely with landowners, communities and the Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands Initiative to identify, understand and celebrate our coastal woodland zone. Transport by sea of timber from our region is woven into our wider history beyond these shores.
Securing our coastal woodlands as a functional, sustainable and thriving local habitat will be a key focus for the SCAMP project. Proposals being developed include the collection of seed from remnants of existing woodlands to ensure new planting is adapted to the environment, developing a chain of sustainable coastal tree nurseries, and taking a ‘start from the coast’ ecosystem approach to riparian planting and native woodland creation projects. For more information on Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands visit DG Woodlands.
