Hundreds of hectares of native woodland are now regenerating at Loch Katrine as a once-in-a-generation project to transform the landscape above one of Scotland’s most important water sources gathers pace.
The project, delivered in partnership by Scottish Water and Forestry and Land Scotland, will restore more than 4,000 hectares of native woodland across the catchment by 2040, helping to protect the water supply for over a million people in Glasgow.
Two years on from the start of delivery, the project is already taking shape on the ground – around 600 hectares of native woodland are regenerating on the hills above the loch, alongside 100 hectares of new tree planting and the installation of more than 25km of deer and seed island fencing. Over a million new trees are expected to be growing at Loch Katrine by 2030 as work progresses.
Combining large-scale planting with natural regeneration, it is one of the most ambitious woodland creation programmes in the UK and forms a key part of Scottish Water’s commitment to improve the resilience of vital water sources, tackle the impacts of climate change and enhance biodiversity.
Stephen Garbett, Woodland Project Manager at Scottish Water, said: “The woodland creation project at Loch Katrine is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and is already one of the most ambitious programmes of its kind in Scotland.
“By combining targeted planting with natural regeneration, we are creating the conditions for woodland to expand naturally over time, ultimately restoring more than 4,300 hectares across the catchment.”
He added: “There are very few examples of woodland being created at this scale in the UK. While natural regeneration takes longer, it allows trees to establish across areas where planting isn’t possible and delivers a far more cost-effective and sustainable outcome in the long term.”
Dr Mark Williams, Scottish Water’s Head of Sustainability and Climate Change, said: “We are increasingly looking at nature-based solutions as a vital asset in protecting our water sources and adapting to future environmental challenges.
“The woodland creation and natural regeneration work at Loch Katrine are key to helping stabilise the landscape, protect soils and allow nature to take its course. Along with our work on peatland restoration, this is making the catchment more resilient to climate change.”
James Hand, Operations Forester at Forestry and Land Scotland, said: “We’re seeing natural regeneration already beginning to spread from existing native seed sources along the loch shore, although this process takes time.
“Using locally sourced species is key to long-term resilience, and our approach combines larger deer-fenced planting areas with smaller ‘seed islands’ to encourage woodland to establish and spread naturally.”
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He added: “Managing grazing pressure is critical. By reducing deer populations and protecting key areas, we’re enabling woodland to recover gradually while also safeguarding important habitats and species.”
The project involves extensive land management measures, including deer control, over 60km of fencing over the first 10 years of the project delivery, and habitat management to support woodland growth in a challenging upland environment.
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) that will see a rich and diverse mosaic of habitats full of wildlife stretching 16,500 hectares from Callander in the east to the shores of Loch Lomond in the west.
Alongside the woodland creation project, over 200 hectares of peatland has also been restored to further bolster the resilience of the catchment, with further phases to come.
