Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm
‘Scot Low 1.01 - Maximise the potential for windfarms and other renewable energy
projects with regard to landscape, biodiversity, public access, community and economic
values. We have three active sites with two pending at Whitelee and Murdostoun, and
working with partnership for renewables (PfR) on 20 other sites.’
4.2.26 Camilty has presented various constraints to forest development, these are mainly a
combination of soils and exposure. The wind firmness of the site has been a particular
challenge to the management of the forest. Once the trees have established and reached a
reasonable height they have been subject to wind throw. Many of the recently felled areas
were subject to wind blow. The predicted rotation length set out in the Forest Design Plan
also indicates approximately 45 years between planting and clear felling. This rotation period
is greatly influenced by predicted forest terminal heights based on tree size, soils and
exposure.
4.2.27 Further areas of wind blow were noted within the remaining older trees along the Crosswood
and Burns during a site survey completed by Brian Wallis (RPS Arboriculturalist) in January
2013.
4.2.28 There is a direct correlation between the age (and therefore height) of the trees and the
windblown sections. The short period in which the forest was planted along with the limited
species diversity has resulted in the current period where large areas are now being
restocked as part of the rotational cycle and the areas that are being retained to reduce the
visual impact of forest felling will need to be cleared before the onset of wind blow.
4.2.29 Much of the current forest management of Camilty is driven by the crop conditions and this
current period of felling and restocking is related to the age and height of the trees. Their
wind firmness is dictating the management of the forest and will continue to do so over the
coming decade. Although changes in species and compartment sizes should help create
better forest dynamics over the coming rotations.
Forest Design Plan
4.2.30 As noted above, the FCS produces a FDP for each of its forest areas. The FDP covers the
forest rotation period, is approved at a ten-year basis and is reviewed at five-year intervals. It
details felling and replacement patterns during the period, and is based on the current
principles of management produced in the Lowland District Strategy document. The current
plan (Appendix 4.1) and restocked compartment shapes and sizes show the move towards
reduced compartment sizes and less hard boundaries to the compartments. All FDP’s
conform to the UKWAS. The current FDP was originally approved in 2003 and is due to be
updated in 2013.
4.2.31 The FDP is a dynamic plan that can be altered and adjusted through its period as required. It
is an important planning tool but is not definitive as it is dealing with a growing medium that is
subject to climatic and economic impacts.
4.2.32 An important influencing factor that could in the future have a major influence on forest crops
on Camilty and other similar forests is that of tree pests and diseases. Recent years have
seen greater concerns about the impacts of diseases such as Phytophthora ramorum on
forest tree species. This fungal pathogen, which affects all species to varying degrees, has
been responsible for large areas of Larch being felled in many other parts of the UK and
could spread to the area in the future. Dothistroma Needle Blight (DNB) previously known as
Red Band Needle Blight is also now becoming of great concern to forest mangers as it was
originally thought to only affect Corsican Pine, but has now been known to affect Scots Pine.
March 2013 4-6 ES Chapter 4
Description of the Proposed Development
Copyright Partnerships for Renewables Development Co. Ltd 2013 ©