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Forestry News Press & Publicity Projects Recruitment Renewables Stronafian Woodland Crofts

We’re recruiting at CGDT!

COMMUNITY FOREST DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

  • Contract worth:  £28,000
  • Initial period: 1 Year

A varied role with sustainable woodland development its core and community revitalisation its heart.

Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust is recruiting for a new Community Forest Project Officer to work with the board over the coming year to maintain the momentum in our high profile and highly successful Stronafian Forest Project.

Purchased in February 2013 for £1.55M Stronafian forest is the trust’s flagship project, providing a focus for the community’s aspirations to increase local employment, housing and visitor attractions, as well as sustainable income through renewables. In our first year we met and exceeded many of our funder-led objectives, but it is in our second year we expect the project to take off and provide the foundation for an ongoing and exemplary community endeavour.

On the agenda for a successful candidate will be woodland crofts, the chambered cairn, a wind turbine, woodland burials, access design and management, deer management, woodfuel, walker and mountain bike use and a potential dark skies park. Of course there will also be funder liaison, including claims and report writing, as well as all the necessary administrative tasks which come with that, and equally important will be liaison with the community, our commercial forestry tenant and their clients.

The role is therefore multi-faceted, needing a person with the strategic vision to manage the project, and also the experience both at a commercial and community levels who understands the forestry context.

With potential to continue beyond the period we are now advertising for, the focus in the coming year will be to continue with our highly successful and motivated community working groups as well as pursuing positive outcomes with the wind turbine, crofting, housing and biomass.

Based at the Colintraive Village Hall office, the successful candidate will become part of a highly successful team at the trust which is presently delivering excellent and ongoing Climate Challenge Fund Project “Greener ColGlen”, as well as planning the revitalisation of the Cowal Way, a Community Broadband project for Southwest Cowal and a further community asset acquisition.

We are open to applications from candidates who cannot commit to a full-time contract but are willing to share it on a pro rata part-time basis.

Application packs are available by writing to Colintraive and Glendaruel Development Trust, The Village Hall, Colintraive, Argyll, PA22 3AS, via email at cgdt@cgdt.org, can be downloaded here, or by telephoning 01700 841358.   Applicants should be available for immediate start.   Closing date for applications Monday 28th April 2014

Categories
Forestry News Opportunities Stronafian Working Groups

Forest Focus Group Meeting!

On Thursday 10th October 6pm-8pm at the Colintraive Village hall

Welcome to a community open evening to discuss and establish the following:

  • Name of the group
  • Aims, the reasons for forming the group
  • Objectives of the group
  • Powers of the group
  • Sharing tasks within the group

Following this we will look in more depth at Forest access, associated challenges and your solutions.

Homemade soup and refreshments available.

All welcome!!

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Forestry Glendaruel News Opportunities Projects Renewables Stronafian Working Groups

Master-planning Presentation and Workshop Outcomes for Stronafian Forest

For those of your who were there, and for those who were not, here is the presentation by our masterplanning consultants, as well as the outcome documents which were produced on the evening.

Presentation | Discussion Group A | Discussion Group B | Discussion Group C | Workshop Outcomes

If you would like to comment further or add your view, please email the consultants here.

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Colintraive Forestry Glendaruel News Projects Renewables Stronafian

We had a great evening …

… over 50 folks made it to Colintraive to hear about and feedback on and plan for Stronafian Forest. Here are a couple of snaps of the evening.

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As you can see, not only did we have all sorts of plans and presentations, but we also had soup and cake made by Danuta. Delicious!

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Forestry Glendaruel Ideas News Opportunities Projects Stronafian Working Groups

Maps, Plans & Proposals for Stronafian Tonight!

From 6pm at the Colintraive Village Hall Mark, our Community Forest Development Officer will be hosting an evening all about the forest. There’ll be presentations, discussions, map-making and lots of lovely soup. Come along! All are welcome!

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Archaeology Environment Forestry Glendaruel News Projects Renewables Stronafian

Up into the woods to the Chambered Cairn

Last weekend an intrepid pair of Glendaruels ventured up to the chambered cairn – we thought you might like to see the photos:

Categories
Forestry Glendaruel News Press & Publicity Projects Recruitment Stronafian

Our Community Forest Project Officer is here!

We’re delighted to welcome Mark Chambers to our community. Mark will be working with us for at least two years bring forward all the elements in our Business Plan for Stronafian Forest. Mark will be spending the first couple of months getting up to speed on the project, meeting people and settling in. We’ll be announcing a Forest event shortly when everyone will get to greet Mark officially!

Categories
Environment Forestry News Projects Renewables Stronafian

Updated Stronafian Business Plan Available

For those of you keeping an eye on our developing plans for Stronafian, we have just published the updated Business Plan on our publications page.

Categories
CRtB Forestry Glendaruel News Opportunities Press & Publicity Renewables Stronafian

Presentation to LACPG in Cowal Courier

New 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.

Categories
Forestry News Press & Publicity Stronafian

We Can See The Wood For the Trees!

The Community of Colintraive and Glendaruel wins the right to buy Stronafian Forest in south-west Cowal.

Community ownership of one of the most ambitious community buy-outs came a step further this week when the Forestry Commission granted the right to buy 600ha of Stronafian Forest in south west Cowal through the National Forestry Land Scheme.

The £1.55m price tag is a tall order for the small community of Colintraive and Glendaruel but ownership of the land is seen as the catalyst in reversing the area’s economic and social decline.   Plans for developing the forest include leasing small parcels of land at sustainable rents to allow small, low-impact silviculture operations to be encouraged, alongside other entrepreneurial pursuits suited to a woodland situation and developing community.

Proximity to the school offers opportunities to develop an outdoor classroom or forest school, a development of the existing curriculum which is proving increasingly popular elsewhere as an educational  resource.  Indeed areas of the forest, particularly those close to the Clachan of Glendaruel, are rich in archaeological remains, natural history and landscape heritage which will add to the significant amenity resource that the woodland represents.

Charles Dixon-Spain, Chair of the Development Trust said “The scope of the Forest is enormous and our ambitious plans include investigation of wind and hydro sites, the most promising involving creation of a community owned 30 MW/h extension to the Cruach Mhor windfarm.   With national renewable targets to reach and our commitment to help achieve these, there is much to accomplish in the 18 months in which we have to raise the finance”.

“The price tag may appear daunting,” Charles continues, “but we are confident development of our plans alongside our forestry consultant and potential funding agencies will secure this tremendous asset for the long term benefit of not only Colintraive and Glendaruel but for our neighbouring communities.”