Blackford Forest   SOLD

Our Blackford Forest Project is located West of Gleneagles village, East of the Trossachs National Park and between the cities of Stirling and Perth in Scotland.  The project entails three new woods, comprising 192 Hectares and all located within two kilometres of each other. Its offsetting capacity is 38,162 tCO2e.

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The project will comprise 489,744 trees: 21,769 native broadleaves, 86,975 Norway spruce, 36,025 Scots pine, 342,975 Sitka spruce and 2,000 Noble fir.

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The majority of the once vast Caledonian Forest, that existed in the Highlands for millennia, was coniferous. Native conifers play an important role in carbon sequestration as their growth rate is greater than deciduous trees. Of course, these pine habitats would have been home to Red squirrels, Pine martens, Scottish wildcats and the Eurasian lynx.  Pine trees serve as nesting platforms for raptors such as osprey, Golden eagles, Sea eagles and goshawks. So, returning coniferous forest to its previous location has high merit from a conservation standpoint.

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An important aspect of the project is the enhancement of water quality.  The estate is undertaking planting of native broadleaves along burns in order to enhance water quality for community drinking and in support of community economic development.  Two important businesses draw water from the area including Highland Spring drinking water and the Tullibardine Whisky distillery.

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To maximise the carbon yield of the project, part of the site will be sustainably cut and replanted during the scheme. Timber is a sustainable resource which avoids the significant carbon emissions of steel and other materials. Timber projects which exist for construction lock-up carbon permanently as the material is incorporated into buildings and furniture. Harvested areas of the site will be replanted like-for-like. Therefore, there will be a second set of carbon sequestered for part of the site. The carbon units from this project are relatively affordable. Contact us for details: richard@highlandcarbon.com