Events

Join the Integrating Tree Network as they visit Fran Lockhart and Mark Foxwell at their 46 ha croft in Sutherland, who will share their experience of managing upland ancient woodland using cattle fitted with NoFence collars.

We’ll learn how targeted grazing is encouraging the regeneration of trees, shrubs and woodland plants, reducing dense grass cover, creating seedbeds for natural regeneration, and supporting a rich variety of wildlife. The cattle also spread dung, an important food source for many insects and beneficial for the area's breeding woodcock population, while lightly browsing young birch, willow and aspen. You'll hear how the Forestry Grant Scheme's Woodland Grazing funding has helped support this work and see how woodland grazing is monitored and recorded.

We’ll also explore how Fran and Mark are creating new woodlands by growing trees with seed from their own nursery. The croft also produces a wide range of food and fuel, including pork, beef, eggs, honey, fruit, vegetables and firewood.

During the event, we'll discuss the initial thought process and decision to plant trees and establish woodland grazing. We'll explore objectives, challenges, lessons learned and the benefits trees can bring to a crofting business.

To find out more and book ticket, click here.

Join the Integrating Trees Network at Edston Farm, part of the 858 ha Neidpath Farms, where farm manager Matt Griffin is taking a practical, whole-farm approach to building a more resilient and efficient livestock system.

Matt will share how trees are being integrated across the farm to provide shelter, shade and browse for livestock, while improving soil health, supporting biodiversity and strengthening farm resilience.

During the farm walk, they'll explore how the farm is being transformed by investing in hard infrastructure alongside shelterbelts, willow whip hedges, riparian planting, woodland grazing, an orchard, and the innovative living lambing shed. Covering the thinking behind these projects, the objectives they aim to deliver, the challenges encountered along the way, and the benefits being seen on the ground.

To find out more and book a place, click here.

Join Scottish Forestry's Integrating Tree Network for an insightful day exploring how trees can benefit your farming business now and in the future. They’ll meet at Strathpeffer Community Centre to hear from Davy McCracken, SRUC, who will share his practical experiences of the important role trees play in the future of our farms. 

In the afternoon, Richard Lockett will talk about Knockbain Farm, his family’s award-winning 250 ha mixed farm near Dingwall. Over recent years, the farm has been developing a network of wetlands, hedges, ponds, and expanding areas of native and productive woodlands. A pedigree herd of Luing cattle is managed through mob grazing across grasslands and wildflower meadows, while the woodlands provide shelter, shade, wildlife habitat, timber, and wood fuel.

During the visit, discusions will focus on the farm’s woodland creation journey since the 1970s, including both successes and challenges, as well as the vital role that woodlands play in supporting livestock, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing to the overall resilience of the farming system.

Find out more and book your place here.

Join the Scottish Forestry Integrating Trees Network for an insightful day exploring how trees and woodlands support a more resilient, productive and sustainable farm business. They'll be visiting the Scott-Park family at Portnellan Farm, an organic beef farm on the south-eastern shore of Loch Lomond, to hear about the benefits that trees bring to them.

Through practical discussions and a farm walk, they'll explore the many benefits that trees can bring to farms, including shelter and shade for livestock, improved biodiversity, carbon storage, and timber and firewood production. They’ll also hear what’s involved in a Farm Woodland Assessment and how this has helped shape future plans for the Scott-Park’s business.

Experts from Scottish Forestry, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority and Forth Climate Forest will be on hand to explain the wide range of support available to farmers and land managers. Find out more about Farm Woodland Assessments, woodland creation grants and funding, woodland grazing opportunities, and other practical advice to help you integrate trees into your farming business.

Click here to sign up.

Join the Forestry Scotland Integrating Trees Network at Heathfield Farm, part of the 1,416 ha Cowhill Estate Trust, which has multiple enterprises including dairy, beef, sheep, arable and forestry contributing to the Estate's business.

Forester Sam Boley and Farm Manager Stuart Neish will discuss how they're working together to meet the farms wide ranging aims. By growing trees and hedges, the Estate is increasing biodiversity, providing shelter and shade for livestock, producing high quality timber, sequestering carbon, making use of less productive land and protecting soils, whilst also storing and slowing down water on the land. All this work is benefiting the farming businesses on the Estate.

At the event, we'll discuss the initial thought process around planting trees and hedges and what to plant and where for mutual benefit. Discussion will also feature how laying hedges improves shelter and provides a stock barrier.

To book tickets click here.