Wood you believe it
Ponds group win award
Volunteers who transformed a beauty spot were this week celebrating after winning a top national accolade.
Work at Doune Ponds was recognised in 2017 Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards.
Doune Community Woodland Group, who took over management of the area three years ago, took first prize in the competition’s ‘small community woodland category’ .
Woodland Group chairman Tony Farrant and management group members Allan Drowley and Jane Sumner were presented with the award by Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity Fergus Ewing at the Royal Highland Show last week.
They received a plaque marking their achievement and a £1000 cheque.
Director of Scotland’s Finest Woods Angela Douglas said the community woodland award entries were all of “immensely high quality”.
Mr Farrant said: “For little old us to achieve something like this is extraordinary really. We went into it thinking we would get a feel for how we are doing and had to provide them with a lot of information including management and woodland plans.
“We are delighted to have been successful and it is a recognition of the achievement that everyone has put in during the last three years.
“We have management to turn the area round from what was somewhere everyone complained about to a place people view in a positive way and now wish to visit.”
Doune Ponds was formerly a quarry which employed around 20 workers and produced thousands of tons of sand and aggregate for the Scottish construction industry.
When quarrying ceased in the 1950s the area became a nature reserve popular for its tree-lined pools, small colony of red squirrels and nationallyimportant collection of fungi, which number around 300 species.
Stirling Council assumed responsibility for management of the 40acre area about 20 years ago and were helped by a group of volunteers.
However, the ponds and their paths became neglected and visitors to the area dwindled.
The woodland group then took over the area, which is owned by Moray estates, and have restored 600 metres of paths, improved the picnic ground and earlier this year completed a new bridge which spans a burn and replaces a walkway which was in poor condition.
Visitors to the area have increased and the volunteers have held special events there. A family day is planned for August 20.
To mark the award, the volunteers held a special celebration on Monday in the Woodside Hotel, Doune. Lady Moray and the Earl of Moray, who have been supportive of the woodland group’s work, were in attendance.
Mr Farrant : “The award has been a surprise to everyone but a pleasant one and now we have to decided how to spend the money.”
Scotland’s Finest Woods competition has a number of backers including commercial organisations, the Forestry Commission and Woodland Trust.
In the competition’s new commercial woodlands category, the winner of the James Jones Trophy was John Hartz for Jerah, Sheriffmuir, Dunblane. Tilhill Forestry are forest managers there.