Site of the Month: Muirdrochwood (September 2022)

Muirdrochwood was bought from Forestry and Land Scotland in March 2021 by Carsphairn Community Woodland Ltd on behalf of the Community of Carsphairn. Community ownership of the woodland will provide greater access to the countryside, create a more diverse woodland environment for wildlife and provide a community hub for outdoor volunteering, activities and skills development. Staff have been appointed to manage the woodland, and to run forestry and rural skills training courses and a sustainable woodfuel enterprise.

After securing funding from South of Scotland Enterprise (SoSE), initial work entailed clearance of some spruce to make way for the forest shed and volunteer building, felling of diseased larch trees, and construction of a wildlife hide/shelter. An area of Planted Ancient Woodland (PAWS) is being restored.

As yet, the wildlife of the site is not well recorded. In previous years, SWSEIC ran moth trapping events for the community, which recorded, amongst others, good numbers of the spectacular Puss Moth Cerura vinulais. This year, Scotch Argus butterflies Erebia aethiops and Spignel Meum athamanticum have been recorded along the riverside, the latter being a highly aromatic plant that is uncommon in the UK, but which has a stronghold in south-west Scotland. Existing records can be explored via iRecord and new records would be very welcome.

Peter Norman

SWSEIC Project Officer