FCF Woodland Connectivity

Overview

The Forth Climate Forest project commissioned Forest Research to conduct a connectivity analysis for the project area.

The aim of this analysis was to assess the existing broadleaved, yew and mixed woodlands (BYM) habitat networks and identify where new woodland planting would make connections to provide potential migration routes for woodland species.

 ^{The map is displaying areas of existing BYM woodland (green polygons) using data from the  Native Woodland Survey of Scotland .} 

The analysis

An analysis of south to north dispersal was carried out using three separate source locations across the landscape and a target destination to the northeast of Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. Start locations were identified i) to the south of the Inner Forth (Source 1), ii) to the north of the Inner Forth (Source 2), and iii) the end point of the South-North Climate Clyde corridor (Source 3).

Modelling

The Least Cost Corridors (LCC) outputs and the Condatis flow map were combined to identify three distinct directions or paths of dispersal from the three source locations.

 ^{Shown on interactive map as data layer: Simplified Corridor Routes.} 

 ^{Note: Along the Source 1 route the modelling identified two options which share the same initial corridor section near Bo’ness to an area immediately West of Stirling but branch-off here with one route heading North past Doune (Corridor route 4) and the other via Kippen. Both routes then merge again near Callander.} 

Opportunities

These two complementary modelling approaches identified over 60 unique locations were identified where tree planting or woodland creation should be targeted to improve connectivity.

This map shows the approximate location of the opportunities with a point placed across the middle of each opportunity area.

 ^{Shown on interactive map as data layer: Opportunity Zone Points.}