20-06-2025
Tree felling plans in rural Stirling forest attracts major opposition in call for delay
The proposals from Forestry and Land Scotland include more than 4,000 hectares near Strathyre where woodland and forest could see trees chopped down over infection concerns.
A plan that would see larch trees removed across a more than 4000 hectare stretch of woodland near Strathyre has attracted strong opposition.
The proposals have been published by Forestry and Land Scotland in response to growing concern over the presence of 'Phytophthora ramorum' infections across forests in the Trossachs region.
This infection has resulted in the need for Statutory Plant Health Notices (SPHNs) - which allow for the felling of infected trees and uninfected trees within a prescribed 'buffer area'.
The Strathyre Forests Larch Removal Plan (LRP) covers a total area of 4,225 hectares of coniferous forest and broad-leaf woodland located around Strathyre and neighbouring Balquhidder.
But the plans have been met with criticism locally - and a petition set up by campaigners looking to preserve the natural woodland has attracted more than 600 signatures.
On the online petition page, they write: 'Strathyre and Loch Lubnaig are jewels of natural beauty, cherished by both locals and the thousands of visitors who flock here year after year.
'The clean air, lush green spaces, and rich wildlife create a beloved sanctuary, both for nature lovers and for the local economy which thrives on eco-tourism and hospitality.
'However, Forestry and Land Scotland's current plans propose mass felling and thinning of our forests, threatening to dismantle this irreplaceable ecosystem and the very essence of what makes Strathyre and Callander unique.
'We understand that forestry management is necessary, but such drastic measures need a pause. A thorough consultation involving local businesses and a comprehensive impact assessment on our wildlife are paramount before any further actions are taken.
'The total area affected by the FLS plan is 4226 hectares, that's an area equivalent to 6000 football pitches. 'But the total amount of diseased larch equates only to about ten per cent of that area.
'We must prioritise sustainable practices that respect both the environment and the communities that cherish it'.
The petition then pleads for FLS and Scottish Forestry to halt the current plans for a 'full consultation' to be carried out and the 'implications' of the tree felling programme to be understood.
An FLS spokesperson said: 'We are legally required to act when Phytophthora ramorum infection is confirmed.
'SPHNs demand that infected trees (and others within a buffer zone around the infection site) are felled prior to the following autumn.
'The SLRP concentrates in one document all of the action that we would be required to take under several SPHNs.
'Although the plan covers an overall area of approximately 4,200 ha - around 2,800 ha of which is woodland – the proposed felling area is 446 ha over the next five years (around ten per cent of the overall area) - had the disease not been present an equivalent area would normally have been felled over a 5-10 year period.
'The disease is highly infectious, affects a wide range of plant and forest species, and causes extensive mortality in infected species of larch. Pre-emptive action will go some way towards protecting larch trees in as yet un-affected areas of the country.'
