Central Scotland Forest

Your Family Tree Scheme site is a the heart of the new Central Scotland Forest, the most ambitious environmental project in Scotland.  Located in the large area (620 square miles) of Scotland between Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Forest will create a mosaic of woodlands, hedgerows, paths and ponds around the towns and villages.

The Central Scotland Forest Trust (formerly Central Scotland Countryside Trust) is the organisation leading the partnership to create the Central Scotland Forest.  Partners include local authorities, local enterprise companies, the Forestry Commission, Scottish Natural Heritage and the private sector.  All these bodies, along with many others, such as farmers, businesses and local people, are now working together with one common aim: to double the woodland cover by 2015.  Any contribution you can make towards this goal is greatly appreciated.

Central Scotland suffers at present from a range of environmental, economic and social problems stemming from its heavy industrial and mining heritage.  Nowadays, these industries have mostly disappeared.

Previously owned by a local hospital, the 7 hectare site at Wester Moffat near Airdrie in Lanarkshire was purchased by CSFT in 1995 to create community woodland for local people to use for recreational and educational purposes.

The site is also being developed as a new native woodland in an area which has lost virtually all its native trees.  It slopes down the North Calder Heritage Trail, a 16 kilometre route between Hillend Reservoir on the Central Scotland plateau and Summerlee Heritage Park in Coatbridge.  This trail offers an interesting insight to the area's industrial past as it continues down towards the old ironworks of Calderbank.  Other paths at Wester Moffat link to this trail and to the Airdrie to Bathgate cycle way.

As the site has developed in CSFT's ownership, the biodiversity has increased.  Recently, otters have been spotted along the banks of the North Calder.

CSFT now has around 40 members of staff who have between them a broad range of skills in forestry, ecology and conservation.  The Trust headquarters is at a converted farm near Shotts in North Lanarkshire - an old mining village.  The Record Book is kept at the CSFT Offices.  If you would like to visit the Central Scotland Forest, you should contact:

Hillhouseridge,  Shottskirk Road, Shotts, Lanarkshire, ML7 4JS

Tel: 01501 822015        Fax: 01501 823919

Directions:-

From the North, leave the M8 at Junction 5.  Cross the B7066 by turning right then immediately left following signs for Shotts.  After 1.5 miles turn right, follow this road for a further 1.5 miles to a junction next to a large factory with yellow chimneys.  Turn right and Hillhouseridge is 200yards on the left at the crest of the hill.

Alternatively, approaching from Glasgow or Airdrie, turn left at the Newhouse roundabout (M8 Jct 6) onto the B7066.  Follow this for 2-3 miles, through Salsburgh.  Turn right 0.5 mile to the east of Salsburgh at Kirk O' Shotts.  Follow this road for 2 miles over the Cant Hill .  Hillhouseridge will be seen ahead when descending from the Cant Hill to the east of Shotts Prison.

From the South, take the A71 Old Edinburgh Road and follow the signs for Shotts.  Hillhouseridge is through Shotts to the north west of the town.  It is situated immediately between the prison and Cummins diesel engine factory on Shottskirk Road.

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