Scottish Woodland Alliance

Our Objectives

The Scottish Woodland Alliance is committed to:

• The expansion and regeneration of native woodlands in Scotland
• Contributing towards UK targets for woodland and forest biodiversity
• Promoting social and economic gains for Lochaber and the wider population of Scotland
• The application of sustainable forest projects to carbon sequestration in Scotland.

The SWA objectives are aligned with four of the Scottish Executive’s five Strategic Directions for Scottish Forestry, as well as its commitments to deliver on biodiversity and conservation – all of which share the ultimate goal of sustainability.

The SWA was formed to help reverse centuries of deforestation and breathe new life into the Scottish countryside, its wildlife and communities.

A major funding pledge from Lochaber Highland Estates (CI) Ltd will enable up to 1,000 hectares of new woodland to be created in Scotland over the next ten years.  The SWA vision is based on a 200 year timescale to benefit future generations as the trees mature over this century and beyond.

Lairds Wood by Keil Hill, is currently being actively managed by the SWA, and in addition, we have begun to improve the adjoining woodland both by encouraging the process of natural regeneration and by the planting of a range of native hardwoods.  In 2007, we agreed with Sustrans that they could route the Oban to Fort William Cycleway over Keil Hill.  By 2008 we learned that Sustrans had decided to leave cyclists on the road for this dangerous part of the route. Thus in August 2009 SWA built a cycle track at our own expense that crosses Keil Hill from the Salachan Burn to Duror Cemetary. This will prove to be of value both to the people of this small community and to walkers, cyclists and equestrians.