Guidance Aims To Help Save Scotland’s Designed Landscapes

Environment & Climate Change Minister, Stewart Stevenson, today visited Dunkeld’s storm damaged Cathedral Grove to see how recently published guidance from Forestry Commission Scotland can help restore this designed landscape.

Sited on the Hilton Dunkeld House Estate, the 2 acre Cathedral Grove – which included many veteran trees – was badly hit during the storms of 8th-9th December. As well as losing several mature and veteran trees, the grove was further damaged by falling tree tops that had been snapped off in the wind.

Mr Stevenson said:

“Changing demands on landscape, increasing threat from pests and diseases and, of course, the impact of climate change and extreme weather events will all impact upon Scotland’s historic and much loved designed landscapes.

“The damage here, at one of Perthshire’s best known heritage landscape sites, is very sad to see. This is an important tourist site but the Grove is also an important part of Scotland’s involvement in the world-wide iCONic project and to the developing National Tree Collections of Scotland.

“With many standing trees no longer worth keeping and some of the damaged trees presenting significant safety concerns, re-planting a new generation of trees and rescuing the grove will be a formidable task.

“I am sure that the Commission’s recently published guidance will be a valuable source of advice and assistance over the coming months as work that will eventually return the grove to its former glory progresses.”

As well as helping with the planning of restoration, replanting and conservation management projects, the guidance also sets out to:

• Aid understanding of what comprises an historic designed landscape
• Outline the components of designed landscapes, in particular their tree features, their design principles and common management issues.
• Offer a handy one-page guide to SRDP grant support
• Provide background information and links to further sources of information

The guidance will be of use to anyone responsible for managing these sites. For more information visit www.forestry.gov.uk/website/forestry.nsf/byunique/infd-5xfmdu

Nicholas Shepherd, Landscape & Culture Advisor with Forestry Commission Scotland, said:

“Designed landscapes are a significant asset for Scotland and it is often the trees - the result of careful species selection and deliberate planting over many centuries and at different scales - that shape and give the landscape its special qualities. They have artistic, historical and horticultural value, architectural, scenic, archaeological, recreational, educational and now also a climatic value!

“It’s vitally important that we do what we can to conserve the nature of these sites, while also allowing them to adapt and change to meet the set of modern challenges.”

Mike Metcalfe, general manager at Hilton Dunkeld House, said:

“The estate of Hilton Dunkeld House plays host to many wonderful examples of remarkable trees including the famous Dunkeld Pedestal Larch, the Parent Larch and the newly introduced Giant Redwoods.

“The recent storms proved to make quite a dent on our existing landscape and we are working with Forestry Commission Scotland to restore and replant in order to preserve for future generations.”

MSP Backs Safer Internet Day

Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has given his support for Safer Internet Day, which takes place on Tuesday 7^th February.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr Stevenson said:

“The theme for this awareness day is Connecting Generations with the slogan 'Discovering the digital world together safely.' This topic looks at the reach of the online world across all generations and cultures and encourages families to work together to stay safe online.

“Our offline and online worlds are strongly connected with the online world being a unique arena where people of all ages can learn together and from each other.

“It is important to remember that we all have a role to play in ensuring that every child is safe online."

Hopes For The Future

MSPs will be invited to share their hopes for the environment at a ‘dream catching’ event in Holyrood today.

CIFAL Scotland – a UN affiliated sustainability training centre, based in Moray – aims to record the views of MSPs to mark the 20th anniversary of the landmark Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1992. The summit was instrumental in pushing climate change up the international political agenda and eventually gave rise to the Kyoto protocol, aimed at reducing Co2 emissions.

Now, twenty years on, campaigners in Scotland hope MSPs will support their call for more action on climate change, poverty and sustainable growth.

The Green Dreams campaign is part of a global effort to record the hopes and dreams of men, women and children worldwide on issues such as health, air quality, community, transport, energy and climate change, ahead of this year’s UN Conference on Sustainable Development – also known as RIO+20.

Scottish Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson MSP has already recorded his green dream, warning of the impact of climate change on sub-Saharan African and other parts of the world threatened by desertification and rising sea levels.

Mr Stevenson said that Scotland was an example of how a modern industrial country can build new renewable energy industries and sustain a change to a different way of living. In a message posted on CIFAL Scotland’s YouTube page, he said he hoped the Green Dreams campaign would inspire people around the world “to change something in your life as many of us in Scotland have already started to do.”

May East, chief executive of CIFAL Scotland, said she hoped the Minister’s backing would encourage other MSPs to support the campaign.

She said:

“We are delighted to have secured the support of Stewart Stevenson for our Green Dreams campaign. We want to show the world that Scotland is committed to developing a sustainable economy and is capable of exercising real influence on this issue, at a global level. We hope that other MSPs will be inspired to share their Green Dreams, as part of this global effort to build a sustainable future.”

Meanwhile, more than a dozen MSPs have backed a Motion in the Scottish Parliament tabled by South Scotland MSP Aileen McLeod welcoming the launch of the Green Dreams campaign.

Dr Aileen McLeod said:

“Climate change is one of the few issues that affects every man, woman and child on the planet. Important steps have been taken by Governments from across the world and we don’t need to look much further than our own here in Scotland to see the emphasis being placed on reducing our own contribution to greenhouse emissions.

“I am delighted to host this event in parliament today, giving politicians and the public a chance to share their green dream ahead of Rio+20. My own green dream is for all governments, regardless of size or political persuasion uniting in agreement to reduce their own nation’s carbon footprint and I remain hopeful that this can achieved in Rio in June.

“Of course, it is not just governments that must play their part in the fight against climate change. We all must do our bit, whether that is to use public transport instead of taking the car or remembering to recycle. If we all work together then we can ensure the long term sustainability of our planet.”

CIFAL has launched a dedicated Green Dreams website to allow people to post their videos online using their smart phone or digital camera. To record your Green Dream, go to www.youtube.com/greendreamcifal