Harry Potter native woodland is sold to community group
Pine forest used in film and for commando training bought underscheme
IT was used as a location in one of the Harry Potter films and also helped train commandos during the Second World War.
Now the ancient pine forest has been bought by a local community group.
Loch Arkaig pine forest near Spean Bridge in Lochaber has been sold by Forest Enterprise Scotland under the National Forest Land Scheme
The scheme gives community organisations first refusal to buy land where they will provide public benefit.
The sale had to be concluded this winter or the forest could have been sold on the open market.
Gary Servant, of Arkaig Community Forest, said: “This is a great moment.
“The land has been bought and we have a fantastic opportunity to work together to restore these native woodlands and to reconnect local people with their forests.
“Everyone is very excited and we give heartfelt thanks to all who have supported us and contributed to the appeal.”
The woodlands at Loch Arkaig near Spean Bridge were used for training commandos in Second World War.
Some pines in the forest still have scorch marks left from the soldiers’ exercises with live ammunition.
The damaged trees include Scots pine, dubbed “ghost trees”, preserved after being “cooked” have in their own resin after the ammunition caused a fire.
Arkaig Community Forest in partnership with the trust raised thousands of pounds to buy the 2,500 acre site.
Forestry Commission Scotland gave the organisations first refusal topurchasetheland.
The forest’s history also includes a suggestion that French gold to fund Bonnie Prince Charlie’s 1745 Jacobite Rising was hidden, and then lost, in it.
More recently, it was a location for the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Characters Harry, Hermione and Ron fly over it on a dragon before they jump off the beast into a loch. It was rumoured filming was cut short in the forest because of biting midges.
An appeal launched in April helped to raise £500,000 towards the cost of buying the land.
The People’s Postcode Lottery also provided funding.
So far £2.9m has been raised to cover the cost of purchasing the forest and funding restoration projects. Arkaig Community Forest hopes to raise a total of £4.5m.
The forest will be surveyed to identify “wildlife hotspots” which will be expanded through woodland management over the years.
‘‘ We have a fantastic opportunity to work together to restore these native woodlands and to reconnect local people with their forests