Beinn Bhan land management plan

Consultation now closed

The Beinn Bhan Land Management Plan area was approved on 27 July 2018, following consultation with a range of stakeholders. The plan is valid for a period of ten years and will be due for revision in 2028.

Beinn Bhan sits below Ben Lomond in the upper Forth catchment, about 2 miles west of Kinlochard. It covers about 1050ha and is surrounded by open ground to the north and west but is contiguous with other plantations to the south and east.

The commercial conifer plantation is dominated by Sitka spruce, which were first planted in the 1950s. Other species include larch, Norway spruce and lodgepole pine, but these make up a very small proportion of the woodland area. A process of diversifying both age and species structure has been ongoing over the last 15 years and the area of broadleaved woodland, in particular, has increased. A number of habitat types are found in the area, including open water and bog, remnants of ancient woodland and heather moorland. Beinn Bhan itself is part of the Ben Lomond Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Key objectives of the plan are to maintain timber production whilst delivering a range of other environmental and social benefits. In particular opportunities to incorporate natural flood management into the plan will be investigated. Protection of heritage features is also important and there will be expansion of native woodland and management of other non-woodland habitats.

Community Involvement

An important part of the Beinn Bhan plan revision has been working in collaboration with local communities, building on one of the key outcomes of the Strathard Initiative (SI). Community representatives had direct involvement in developing the plan, taking into account our aspirations, those expressed in the SI and Community Action Plan and the views of other stakeholders. More information on the SI can be found here.

Documents and maps

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Background information

Get in touch

If you would like further information or have any questions about this plan, please contact:

Email: planning.central@forestryandland.gov.scot