Great growth planned for woodland

A range of trees will be planted to expand the woodland

Work has started on a project to double the size of one of Scotland's most important oak woodlands.

A total of 62,000 saplings will be planted to extend the Wood of Cree reserve in Dumfries and Galloway.

It is part of a project which will eventually create 670 acres of new woodland in the area.

The south of Scotland scheme is designed to expand the rare habitat for threatened species of animals and birds such as the black grouse.

Funding for the scheme has come from petrol giants BP, which has worked with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Forestry Commission and the Woodland Trust.

The new trees will be planted at Barclye Farm near Newton Stewart, which the RSPB bought two years ago for the project.

As well as being a large woodland area it is also host to species such as the red squirrel and birds such as the wood warbler, redstart and pied flycatcher.

'Exceptional beauty'

This phase of the expansion will see 93 acres of the hill farm planted up with a range of trees.

Eventually it will create a 12-mile "habitat network" between Glentrool and Newton Stewart.

"This will help to enhance a place of exceptional beauty, and expand the patchwork of mature woodland, open glades, mossy hollows, craggy nooks and knolls leading down to the river Cree," said Neil Groves of the RSPB.

He said the project could "plug the last big gap" in the Cree Valley Community Woodland Trust vision.