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Moray Council and stakeholders reveal provisional plans for Cluny Hill’s forest and walks in Forres


By Garry McCartney

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Some of the partners involved in the Cluny Hill project (from left) Sandra MacLennan (Forres in Bloom), Debbie Herron (FACT), Dimitris Chrysanthakopoulos (Moray Council), Diane MacGregor (Forres in Bloom), Ian Douglas (Moray Council), Graham Murdoch (Forres Community Council), Sylvia Jamieson (Moray Council), Susan Johnston (Moray Health & Social Care Partnership) and Darren Gemmell (Cluny Bikes Skills Area group). port Officer, Moray Council), Susan Johnston (Area Public Health Co-ordinator, Moray Health & Social Care Partnership) and Darren Gemmell (Cluny Bikes Skills Area group).
Some of the partners involved in the Cluny Hill project (from left) Sandra MacLennan (Forres in Bloom), Debbie Herron (FACT), Dimitris Chrysanthakopoulos (Moray Council), Diane MacGregor (Forres in Bloom), Ian Douglas (Moray Council), Graham Murdoch (Forres Community Council), Sylvia Jamieson (Moray Council), Susan Johnston (Moray Health & Social Care Partnership) and Darren Gemmell (Cluny Bikes Skills Area group). port Officer, Moray Council), Susan Johnston (Area Public Health Co-ordinator, Moray Health & Social Care Partnership) and Darren Gemmell (Cluny Bikes Skills Area group).

A BLUEPRINT for the future of one of Forres’ main beauty spots is being finalised.

Moray Council and local stakeholders have released provisional plans for Cluny Hill’s forest and walks.

The final woodland management plan will be available later this year and will include further actions including tree works planned for the initial five years.

The partnership document will be fed through the Forres Green Spaces Group, as will updates.

This follows the findings of the 2015 public Spirit of Community meeting at Forres Town Hall and the Planning For Real 3D model events around the area in 2017, and the 2020 Vision Action Plan which revealed a desire to better manage Cluny Hill’s forest and walks.

Moray Council and Forres Green Spaces Group commissioned Tilhill Forestry to finalise a woodland management plan.

A council spokesperson confirmed a concept map will form the basis of the plan, developed with the community’s input.

He said: “The Forres Green Spaces Group was formed in February 2018 and includes representation from several community groups with an interest in Cluny Hill, including Forres Community Council, Forres Features and Forres in Bloom. It has worked in partnership with Moray Council and Tilhill Forestry to progress this plan, identified as a key priority during the Forres 2020 Vision community engagement exercise.

“Residents were invited to have another chance to have their say, in a third and final round of consultation in April. These were held online due to Covid-19 restrictions and hosted by Forres Area Community Trust (FACT) and Forres Online.”

The results of the online engagements covered four themes: Tree management and maintenance; visitors and features, community and signage.

The spokesman added: “There is a desire to minimise dramatic change, a need to save suppressed oaks, protect veteran specimen trees, manage beech, sycamore and laurels, manage unsafe trees, and leave deadwood to benefit biodiversity.

“The plan suggests planting lower growing species, protecting young plants from roe deer, and managing trees as a mosaic across the hill with different areas managed with different priorities.

“Cluny Hill should be accessible for and enjoyed by all ages and user groups. The plan includes making Nelson’s Tower more visible and supports lighting up the monument. More use could be made of tree stumps and felled/fallen trees such as carving the wood or using it in an outdoor gym or play area.

“Planners will work in partnership with local community groups on specific projects such as Forres Rotary Club to manage and maintain Hell’s/Helge’s Hole at the centre of Cluny Hill, perhaps develop an arboretum and work with a short term working group of local mountain bikers to develop an approved trail plan in areas identified on the revised concept map.

“Also, work should be carried out in partnership with other groups and plans to align and develop Cluny Hill’s signage – to connect it with Forres Features, Forres Heritage Trust, Forres Area Forum and other groups developing local signs.”

With limited financial resources available, the delivery of the plan will require a partnership approach with local community groups and residents to deliver some of the actions – fundraising may also be required as part of this.

In addition, there may be the opportunity for small amounts of income from the commercial felling zone.

A group of mountain bikers who have made trails and jumps at Cluny Hill have started a new social media group for anyone to join at www.facebook.com/groups/clunybikesskillsarea



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