Woodland volunteers make an impact at Borgie Breco

The efforts of volunteers who are helping to tidy up and maintain a block of forestry in north Sutherland, are really “starting to show”, it has been said.

Work parties are taking place monthly at Borgie Breco Forest, which lies to the west of the River Borgie and is accessed off the A836 between Bettyhill and Tongue. A 400m track leads to the main car park.

The woodland is owned by Forestry and Land Scotland but its management is shared with the North Sutherland Community Forestry Trust (NSCFT).

The two organisations signed a joint management agreement – the first of its kind in Scotland – in 2005.

Among the attractions at Borgie Breco Forest are a stunning riverside trail and Gaelic Alphabet native tree walk – the Gaelic tree alphabet is an ancient link between the letters of the Gaelic alphabet and native woodland. Each of the 18 letters of the alphabet is associated with a tree or shrub.

NSCFT, which owns one of two log cabins in the forest, established a woodland support group, Borgie Forest Friends, in October last year and since then the group’s volunteer members have held monthly working parties.

Some 30 volunteers gathered for the first Forest Friends’ work party.

Work undertaken so far includes clearing a route round the spiral Gaelic Alphabet tree walk; clearing whins which have intruded on paths leading down to the river; and weeding around the log cabins.

And in February, High Life Highland countryside ranger Paul Castle and the North Sutherland Wildlife Group teamed up to bring one of the forest ponds back to life.

NSCFT chairman Andreas Herfurt said: “Over the last few years the pond had become choked with weed and overgrown with trees, making it difficult for countryside rangers to take local school children pond dipping.

“The pond was also prone to drying out at the tend of each summer, and as a result it was less attractive to wildlife.”

Volunteers removed the weeds with rakes and left the vegetation on the side of the pond to allow any trapped wildlife to get back into the water.

Further maintenance is to be carried out later in the year and Forestry and Land Scotland has said it will deepen part of the pond in addition to creating a sunny bank to attract dragonflies.

Mr Herfurt continued: “The efforts of Borgie Forest Friends, North Sutherland Wildlife Group, and the local countryside ranger are really starting to show now.

“It is great to see our core group of Borgie Forest Friends volunteers turning up every month so willing to make improvements for all visitors to the forest.

“There is always ongoing maintenance required, but we have a real commitment to seeing the forest thriving, both for people and wildlife too.”

Borgie Forest Friends gather on the last Sunday of each month between 10am and 2pm at the cabins. Lunch is provided. New members would be welcome.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.