Decision details

The Committee gave consideration to a report outlining proposals for a planting partnership between Argyll and Bute Council and Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust for an area of 60 hectares of native woodland planting on Council owned land principally around Kilmory Home Farm.

Decision

The Policy and Resources Committee noted that the Climate Change Board, the Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services and the associated Departmental Management Team had agreed the following recommendations:-

1.    Agreed to Licence up to 30ha of land at Kilmory Home Farm to ACT to be used as compensatory planting of native woodland and funded by Scottish and Southern Electric Networks (SSEN) thus supporting rural skills, biodiversity creation, and carbon sequestration,

2.    Agreed to Licence up to an additional 30ha of land at Kilmory Home Farm to ACT to be used for direct carbon sequestration to offset our Council’s Carbon Footprint by using funding from Woodland Grant Schemes and formal Carbon Credit arrangements.

3.    Agreed to appoint ACT to develop a woodland management strategy for existing conifer woodland blocks at Kilmory Home Farm (Blocks 7 and 9) including strategy for removal of commercial timber crop, felling licences and replanting scheme with reinvestment from timber income into replanting or climate change related activity on Council Estate; and

4.    Agreed that preferred areas for planting will be Blocks 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and east of 11 with options on the remaining numbered blocks shown on Appendix A following collaboration with Argyll and Bute Council officers to identify planting sites which will complement other development opportunities under consideration.

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services dated 16 July 2021, submitted)