A focus on the future at Leith Hall

When Charles Edward Norman Leith Hay gazed out from Leith Hall in the early 1900s, he may have spotted ducks soaring over the freshly excavated lower pond. Fast-forward 50 years, and his view would have been blocked by trees. Change is the only certainty in both land management and nature. 

There’s a well-known saying: ’A society flourishes when the elderly plant trees whose shade they will never enjoy’. This saying highlights the importance of sustainability across generations, a goal the Trust is committed to achieving. 

Over time, best practices in forestry have evolved, shaped by the cultural and political climate of each era. Today, as biodiversity becomes crucial for combating climate change, the Trust is taking action to benefit future generations.

Leith Hall plays a vital role in the broader habitat landscape. Wildcats roam the Clashindarroch forest to the north, and just 2 miles away lies Moss of Kirkhill, designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Enhancements in biodiversity at Leith Hall are both necessary and possible. It’s now widely recognised that a diverse mix of broadleaf and coniferous woodlands is far more beneficial for biodiversity than uniform, dark conifer plantations.

The plan is to manage Leith Hall’s woodland through Low-Impact Silvicultural Systems (woodland management techniques that minimise the environmental impact of forest operations), as it undergoes replanting and natural regeneration, ensuring a continuous tree canopy that enhances the meadow. This year, repairs to the pond will be carried out, utilising the bridge set up by forestry contractors, which will also help preserve Leith Hall’s historic bridges and minimise ground disturbance. 

Before any forestry took place, the areas were surveyed by both the Trust and ecological consultants to ensure best practice and to record a baseline before operations began. This data was added to the already comprehensive species survey of 1998. Monitoring and further survey work will continue in the future.

The first phase of forestry at Leith Hall has already been completed. The predominantly beech woodland of Larch Wood has been thinned, and as the deadwood (an important resource) decays further, we anticipate that the ground flora will become more diverse. With the increased sunlight, spring witnessed a record crop of wild garlic, and the path through the large wood was adorned with celandine, germander speedwell, and pink purslane.

Our work now shifts its focus to the denser areas of exotic conifers near the pond and icehouse, which are currently being removed. These were planted as a commercial plantation, and some recently snapped in high winds, adjacent to public areas. They will be replaced with Scots pine and oak.

While these essential operations take place, we kindly ask that visitors pay attention to updates on social media and signs on site. Barriers have been set up to limit pedestrian access between the railway line and the Cowie Burn. Ongoing operations are expected to continue until early June.

There is always a trade-off between the ground disturbance caused by heavier but faster machinery and the longer duration associated with lighter machinery; however, the aim is to fell the over-mature trees quickly, leaving the broadleaves and veteran trees, while removing the timber in small batches to minimise disturbance as much as possible. 

In the coming years, the focus will shift to the plantation woodlands to the south. Meanwhile, under the guidance of the Trust, local groups and community members can contribute to outdoor conservation work by building a viewing screen from deadwood at the pond and removing tree tubes from previously planted areas to the north. 

If Charles Edward Norman Leith Hay were to peer through his window today, he might wonder at all these goings-on and the modern forestry techniques in action. However, we hope that he’d also approve of this contemporary vision for Leith Hall’s future, featuring a woodland mosaic better suited to maximise biodiversity.