At Drumbrae we have planted over half a million trees to create a rich woodland to mitigate our carbon emissions from unavoidable travel while benefitting nature. Creating woodland at Drumbrae The University of Edinburgh purchased 430 hectares of land at Drumbrae, which includes part of Dumyat and Sheriffmuir. Drumbrae is on the western edge of the Ochil hills, near Bridge of Allan in Stirling. At Drumbrae we'd like to increase biodiversity by creating woodland and improving open habitats. We are doing this to mitigate our carbon emissions from unavoidable travel while benefitting nature.View maps, check the timeline, read our FAQs and find out more on this page. Over half a million trees Over half a million trees have been planted at Drumbrae. A variety of species have been planted including oak, birch, rowan, elm and Scots pine. Explore our storymap Learn more about Drumbrae, including fascinating archaeological sites, local bird and plant species, woodland design and recent volunteer activities. Get involved Volunteer Connect with nature, improve habitats and learn new skills. You can plant trees and wildflowers, maintain paths, help with field surveys and more. iNaturalist (external website) Contribute to citizen science for biodiversity. Identify and record species you see at Drumbrae with the iNaturalist app. Photo posts See, snap, share. We have installed four photo posts around Drumbrae to gather photos of the landscape as it changes day to day, through the seasons and over the years. Education We love outdoor learning. Get in touch of you would like to arrange a school trip, site visit or community event.Community.Ranger@ed.ac.uk Nature based learning Cocksburn Woods Development We are working with consultants to imagine what the community activity area at Cocksburn Woods might look like in the future. Using the feedback gathered during our public consultation, community meetings, and from conversations with local schools, we hope to have a vision for the area in the coming months. This will create outdoor learning facilities for visiting groups with a shelter and toilet, improve access to explore Cocksburn Woods, enhance sensory and nature experiences, provide volunteering opportunities and increase biodiversity. More information coming soon. Woodland design Find out about the trees we're planting and how the site might change to support this new woodland. Maps, reports, visualisations and FAQs MapsLocation in GoogleWoodland Design MapConstraints and Opportunities MapAccess and Protection MapRecreation and Designation MapEcological Features MapCultural Heritage and Archaeology MapViewpoint Analysis MapReports and visualisationsMetal Detecting ReportDrumbrae Community PresentationLandscape visualisationsPlease see visual interpretations of key points of the site the Drumbrae public consultation webpage.Baseline Ecology AssessmentBaseline Archaeology ReportArchaeology Appraisal for the Battle of SheriffmuirArchaeology Setting Appraisal for Larger Clearing on SheriffmuirFAQsSite Operations Frequently Asked Questions Timeline Summer 2025Working with consultants on the design for Cocksburn Woods. February to May 2025Over half a million trees planted at Drumbrae.November 2024Annual Community Meeting held in Bridge of Allan.Autumn 2024Operations started on site, including ground preparation and deer fencing.Spring to Summer 2024Submitted application to Scottish Forestry and application put on the public register for 28 days. Woodland creation proposal formally approved by Scottish Forestry.Autumn 2023Formal consultation with the local community and other stakeholders.View the resultsAnalysed the feedback provided through the public consultation and updated the woodland creation proposal.Summer 2023Early community engagement survey in June.View the word cloud highlighting key themesWinter 2022 to Spring 2023Surveyed and analysed the site. Drafted the woodland plan, taking into account social, silvicultural and conservation aims.November 2022Drumbrae purchased by the University of Edinburgh.Thank you to all who participated in community meetings, surveys and consultations. Public consultation results From 28 August to 29 September 2023, we held a public consultation to gather input and comments from residents and users of the Drumbrae site.We’re grateful to everyone who took the time to submit their comments. You can see the main themes from the consultation here. Get in touch To contact us, please email us using our contact details below. Please state that you wish to speak with the Forest and Peatland team in your message. Social Responsibility and Sustainability Contact details Work: +44 (0)131 651 3000 Email: SRS.Department@ed.ac.uk Social: Community.Ranger@ed.ac.uk Social: UoE_sustainability (Instagram) Social: University of Edinburgh Social Responsibility & Sustainability (LinkedIn) This article was published on 2024-10-01
