2008-2010

• Ground surveys were undertaken to develop a good understanding of the local ecology, archaeology and cultural heritage.

• Start of the non- native tree removal programme. Spruce from the western side of Glen Finglas were felled and extracted. Planting was carried out in some areas and conditions were created to allow natural regeneration in others.

• Start of our invasive species removal programme. Rhododendrons on the north short of Loch Achray were removed.

• New access paths were built around Loch Katrine and linking Brig o’ Turk to the Lendrick Hill car park.

2011- 2012

• Over 1 million trees have been planted at Loch Katrine and Loch Arklet.

• Our art and literature trail was installed. This trail celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Trossachs.

• The new paths, the Old Military Road and the Statute Labour Road were completed- linking Stronachlachar to Inversnaid and Aberfoyle.

• Released our short film series profiling the project, some of the people who work on it as well as the history of the area.

• Developed an outdoor learning resource for secondary schools in conjunction with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park

2013- 2014

Thanks to funding from Heritage Lottery Fund we are able to deliver our Gateways project which will run until 2017. In the first two years we have achieved:

• Installed deer fencing at RSPB Inversnaid and WTS Glen Finglas and created over 200 hectares of new woodland. The total number of trees planted is now more than 1.5 million
• Constructed our new long distance path, The Great Trossachs Path. Linking the West Highland Way to the Rob Roy Way, The Great Trossachs Path offers something for everyone by forming the spine of a wider network of trails throughout The Great Trossachs Forest. Construction of the final part of the path was completed in 2014 and waymarked in early 2015
• In 2014 one of our new visitor gateways opened - The Glen Finglas Visitor Gateway just outside Brig o’ Turk contains information about all the local area has to offer, be a meeting point as well as providing public toilet facilities. The second gateway opened in 2015.
• A series of play features and sculptures have been installed along the loop walk at Little Druim Wood. Starting from the Glen Finglas Visitor Gateway, the trail includes a slow worm balance beam, a crawl chamber and a woodpecker drum. A leaflet accompanies this trail

2015- 2016

Thanks to funding from Heritage Lottery Fund we are able to deliver our Gateways project which will run until 2017. During 2015 and 2016 we have achieved:

• The remainder of the fencing at Glen Finglas was completed, protecting and ultimately creating a further 100 hectares of woodland and adding to our woodland corridor.
• All our fantastic range of paths and loops suitable for all abilities that link from The Great Trossachs Path have been completed.
• The leaflet for The Great Trossachs Path can be downloaded here. For more information about all the walks in the area including The Great Trossachs Path see The Great Trossachs Path.
• Our visitor gateway at the Garrison car park on the RSPB Inversnaid Nature Reserve will be fully open for use during 2016.
• Released in 2016 our new smartphone app provides on-site navigation and information enabling visitors to understand the landscape in new and fun ways. We are still testing and developing our app on-site and would welcome volunteers to help test and feedback to us. If you are interested in helping us then please get in touch. The smartphone app is available on Iphone and Android devises.

 

2017 is the final year of our HLF funded Gateways project. By this time we will have completed the following:

• The final two winter panorama's as part of interactive Virtual Tour of the Trossachs which provides stunning 360 degree photography of the Trossachs throughout the seasons. Covering 12 locations within The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve, the photo tour showcases our woodlands, hill tops and lochside vistas.
• Our programme of non-native species removal will continue, as does our invasive species removal and managing grazing levels to create a natural mosaic of natural habitats.
• Our programme of events will continue. See our latest news section for forthcoming events of visit our facebook page.
• We have a number of new volunteering opportunities as part of our future plans. We have designed our volunteer programme to be suitable for as many people as possible. For current volunteering opportunties see our Get Involved section or contact us directly.

 

The Great Trossachs Forest is the result of a unique collaboration between energy company BP, Forestry Commission Scotland, RSPB Scotland and Woodland Trust Scotland.

They have committed to work together for an unprecedented 200 years, through the Scottish Forest Alliance to create and restore native woodlands in Scotland for the benefit of people and wildlife.