The Management Plan 2012-2016
This is the fourth consecutive Management Plan for Duchess Wood. It serves three main purposes:
- to provide a basis for actions within the five year span;
- to provide longer term policy within which the five-year work is set;
- to provide the basis for seeking funding to support the action.
Overall aims of the Management Plan
Duchess Wood will be managed as a semi-natural area, to conserve and enhance its biodiversity and landscape value, to encourage research, and to provide visitors with reasonable access and opportunities for quiet recreation and education.
Location
Duchess Wood lies at the western edge of Helensburgh, north of Rhu Road Higher and south of the West Highland railway line. It is bounded on the east by a residential area and on the west by semi-improved wet grassland. At the southern edge there are sports pitches and some housing.
Designation
Duchess Wood is the only Local Nature Reserve in Argyll and Bute. It lies within the Green Belt and is an Open Space Protection Area. It is a “Woodland of Long Established Plantation Origin” on the Scottish Natural Heritage Ancient Woodland Inventory.
Value
Duchess Wood is highly valued by the local community and much used by local people and visitors. The importance of Duchess Wood has been recognised in official reports. The “Greenspace Audit and Action Plan” (2006) identified Duchess Wood as one of just four “most valued sites” in the Helensburgh area, and one of only seven designated for priority action. The “Green Belt Landscape Study” (2010, p76) defined Duchess Wood as of high value and described it as “managed well”. The main paths in Duchess Wood have been designated by A&BC as Core Paths.
Management responsibilities
The landowner is Luss Estates Ltd which on 19 November 2010 renewed its Management Agreement with Argyll and Bute Council for the Council to manage the Wood as a Local Nature Reserve for a further ten years. Responsibility has been delegated to the Duchess Wood Local Nature Reserve Committee (DWLNRC) to oversee the Wood’s management on behalf of the Council. The DWLNRC has prepared this plan.
Partnership
Partnership with other organisations is integral to the management of the Wood. Lower Clyde Greenspace acts as the Council’s agent over some aspects. The voluntary Scottish charity Friends of Duchess Wood assists with day-to-day safeguarding tasks and carries out certain management and educational tasks delegated to it by the DWLNRC; it also seeks funding related to those tasks. Other official and voluntary organisations 5
assist in different ways and they are listed in the body of this Plan. Duchess Wood is much valued in terms of biodiversity and recreational value by local residents and visitors. Partnership working helps foster a sense of service to the community and helps bring the community together.
vii. In line with the views of Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland the Wood will be managed to be multipurpose. The Plan takes into account the primary designation of the Wood as a Local Nature Reserve (and the protection and enhancement of its biodiversity), its function as community woodland with a wide range of users, and the possibility, arising from the management activities, of using timber from the Wood for a variety of purposes. We will do this by working in partnership both with official and with voluntary organisations, and by taking into account the needs of the different users of the Wood.
Long-term objectives
The long term objectives are likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future, and reflect the aims above:
- to manage the Wood so as to maintain and enhance its semi-natural mostly broad-leaved habitat and conserve and improve its biodiversity;
- to provide and enhance provisions for public access;
- to maintain access ways and other facilities used by visitors;
- to encourage and publicise research;
- to encourage and promote education and recreation
- to support voluntary involvement.
Medium term objectives and priorities for action
Within each long-term objective are several medium-term objectives, and medium and short term actions, which we anticipate will be met during the life of this plan, but with the proviso that many of the actions depend on the necessary external funding being found, and this is a major challenge. The delivery of all of these objectives is supported by a number of agreed operational policies which help determine the approach to be taken. In the context of limited availability of funding it is important to be clear about where the priorities lie; the main elements are summarised below and set out in a comprehensive action table in the MP.
Woodland management:
- continue to restructure the woodland to a more native composition and condition and to assess, protect and enhance its biodiversity;
- establish a strategy and action plan for the boundaries;
- increase the “woodland corridors” around Duchess Wood;
- investigate the use of timber from the Wood which becomes available as the result of action in support of the MP.
Action priorities
- secure professional advice on woodland management
- remove selected storm-damaged trees
- create open glades/fell sycamore near peripheral path
- eradicate Japanese knotweed and rhododendron
- clear fell small sycamore coups
- plant/replant where opportunities arise
- boundary management
- establish how best to use timber from Wood
Public access:
- provide clear signage to the Wood and around the main paths;
- create no new paths (with one possible exception) but improve existing constructed paths, particularly at burn crossing points.
Action priorities
- new car park sign from Rhu Road Higher
- additional direction and information signs in Wood
- replace three bridges by large culverts
Maintenance:
- maintain paths and drainage and other facilities to ensure the Wood remains an attractive, diverse and reasonably safe natural woodland through regular inspection, repair and safeguarding;
Action priorities
- resurface the all-abilities path and the car park
- maintain existing paths, drainage, fencing and signs
- deal with storm damage where it affects access or safety
- clear litter and report problems to fire, police and other services
Research:
- encourage research into the Wood’s plants and wildlife and publish the results.
Action priorities
- conduct surveys of animals, birds, insects and water life
Education and recreation:
- enhance the use of the Wood for educational purposes and maintain and enhance its educational values and facilities;
- establish policies for recreation which take account of the different needs of users.
Action priorities
- liaise with schools and tertiary education centres
- revise and relaunch information pack for schools
- visitor survey
- maintain website and publish information leaflets
Voluntary effort:
- support voluntary effort to protect, maintain and enhance the Wood and its facilities.
Action priorities
- support the Friends of Duchess Wood and coordinate voluntary effort
x. Some of the priorities will need substantial funding, some will need limited funding, whereas others can be undertaken by voluntary action. These priorities indicate a balanced and positive approach which should lead to significant improvements in the biodiversity of the Wood and its value to the local community.