CGDTNew local news website Cowal Courier has a report on the presentation CGDT’s chair Charles Dixon-Spain recently made to the Local Area Community Planning Group regarding our plans for Stronafian Forest and a medium scale community Windfarm.
The presentation, which seemed to be well-received by the committee of over 20 people and audience, is reported on the pay-for-news website here.
On Monday this week Biddy Simpson from Archaeology Scotland came to pay us a visit to discuss the archaeological sites in Stronafian Forest, and in Glendaruel in general. It’s clear people have lived in the glen for 1,000’s and 1,000’s of years!
Specifically we were discussing how the Adopt-a-Monument scheme can support us when we own the forest, and therefore are responsible for, the archaeological sites within it. I took Biddy up to the chambered cairn that is more or loss above the Clachan. (Thanks to Charles McLaughlin for showing me the way up the old forestry track last month!) She was very impressed by the size and seeming complexity of the cairn. We also went to look at the cup marked rocks in the woods near the Clachan Burn.
The Adopt-a-Monument scheme aims to support community groups in preserving, improving access to, and interpreting historical sites. Biddy will be reporting back to us on her thoughts from her visit, and what we should be doing next to make the most of these fascinating assets.
We’re delighted to announce that we have received approval for our application to the Investing in Ideas programme for developing our plans on the Old Shop in Colintraive. Structural and architectural assessments will be made prior to the trust and the Colintraive Steering Group reporting back to the community on the final shape this project will take.
Well done Rhona for getting this funding in place!
A quick digest on some of the projects which we are working on at the moment:
The Government has launched the Renewable Heat Premium Payment Scheme to help householders across the country with funding towards the cost of installing renewable heating systems. The new £15 million initiative, which is now open to applications, will support up to 25,000 installations. Approximately 4 million householders in the UK – including ColGlen – do not have mains gas and have to rely on more expensive, higher carbon forms of heating such as oil and electricity. The scheme will mainly focus on these households. The following technologies will be available through the scheme –
Grants will be available on a first come first served basis and the scheme will close on 31 March 2012.
Interested? Householders can call 0800 512012 or visit www.energysavingtrust.org/RHPP
On Wednesday this week I donned my rain jacket, took my GPS in hand and intrepidly set off into Stronafian Forest to look for paths and tracks that lead through the woods. I started off from the car park on the main road directly above the Clachan.
You can see a Google map of the route I took with attached photos by clicking here. Most of the points were linked by clearings, deer tracks or fairly open forest, but I did a bit of stumbling over tussocks, fighting through pine trees and getting stuck in bogs too!!
When we get to the point where we can start building tracks and paths it will be easiest to link up these existing trails. I have been on several walks over the last few months and have seen deer, buzzards (thanks Arthur for help with ID!), red squirrels and frogs not to mention at least 20 different types of mushroom. Views of the Clachan Burn are quite pituresque (especially after all this rain!). If you go for walks in this bit of the forest (or anywhere else) please let us know your favourite routes!!
Astronomers have spotted a supernova (an exploding star) in a galaxy a mere 21 million light years away and that should be close enough to see from Earth using a pair of binoculars or small telescope. A white dwarf star in the Pin Wheel Galaxy has sucked in a nearby star causing a massive explosion that will burn as bright as a billion suns.
Although it is very rare for amateurs to be able to see a supernova using binoculars, scientists are warning it will be difficult to spot as it will appear quite dim in the sky. The best bet is to be in a place free of light pollution, look early on in the night and during the next week as the moon light will not be very strong.
We’re wondering if Stronafian Forest can become a place to attract visitors for stargazing. Fortunately, since we have very little in the way of light pollution, we may have a good chance of seeing this once in a lifetime event. The Pin Wheel Galaxy is located close to the handle of ‘the Plough’. It forms an equilateral triangle with the last two stars in the Plough’s handle (above the handle rather than below it). See this diagram for more information. Whether or not we can see this event from ColGlen will be a good indicator of the quality of the area as a stargazing destination (or of the quality of our amateur astronomers!) . So keep your fingers crossed for cloud free nights, dust off your binoculars and getting scanning the skies!
Let us know if you have any success using the feedback form below!
The board met on Monday 22nd August to populate a map of Stronafian with initial proposals for where certain activities could be located in the forest. This will be passed onto our forest consultant for his comments.
You can view a Google Map of the above areas here
The board felt the amenity area should be close to the Clachan since this would form a base for people to go into the forest from. The Forest School would also be located in this area. It was decided some investigation would be required to provide access directly from the hotel to the forest. Paths to an area higher up where there is little forest cover would provide an area for views, picnic sites and possibly an area for stargazing.
The areas for silviculture were chosen based on selecting areas close to existing access routes and with relatively level topography. Activities here might involve commercial wood fuel production as well as the possibility of forest smallholdings for low impact silviculture.
It was felt the only suitable location for affordable housing on forest land was in Stronafian since this was relatively level ground, on a road and near existing housing.
We welcome your feedback on proposals below!
Over the last weeks there has been an unprecedented level of activity in the community looking at our future and the projects we might like to take forward. The ‘Ship-to-shore’ and the ‘Colintraive Gateway’ steering groups have met and made reports to the board, while the Clachan working groups have both reconvened and made recommendations as to the next steps they would like to take to further their work.
The board has also pushed forward with the process to purchase Stronafian Forest, on which we have a right to buy, as well as the community windfarm.
Russell Gill our intern has been working hard to put some shape on initiatives and ideas that have emanated in the community, and we hope to have some papers on matters as varied as mountain-biking, astronomy, and bridleways in hand by the end of the month.
Lastly, Russell and Rhona spent a very enjoyable morning with the Kilmodan school children as they had a forest school session. Both came back damp but delighted!
Are you involved in the tourist industry in Colintraive and Glandaruel?
Russell, working for the CGDT for two months on a government funded placement, wants to hear from you!
I’m looking to organise a focus group of anyone whose business interests are related to tourism. The group will try to collate your opinions and the day-to-day feedback you get from visitors to help the tourist industry in Colintraive and Glendaruel identify what can be done to improve and expand the facilities and attractions for visitors in a way that is sensitive to local concerns.
The results of the focus group will be invaluable in informing the long-term goals of the Development Trust as it progresses with present and future projects.
The meeting will be held at 7pm on Wednesday the 14th of September at Glendaruel Village Hall. If you intend to attend please contact me at russell.p.gill@googlemail.com or on 01369 820344. I hope as many of you can make it as possible. If you are unable to make this date but have ideas you want to share with the group please let me know and we’ll arrange an alternative time to meet up and have a chat.