This set of pages will form a record of formal Project documents.

Aims of the Balloch Community Woodland Group

Our aim is to protect and enhance the 69 hectare (0.27 sq miles) Balloch Wood for the benefit of our communities and nature, visitors and future generations. Indeed, our young people and future generations are a top priority for us.

Our activities will include local education and practical action. Our focus is on our community, habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and on health and well-being. Our ambition is that the opportunities provided by our beautiful woodland will help to bring people together, strengthen our community, and inspire people of all ages and abilities

We also hope to build small-scale fund raising activities to support on going expenses of maintenance of the woodland; these might include hazel/willow coppicing, or fruit trees.

We will make special efforts to look for development opportunities for our community while restoring the woodland habitats. We will undertake activities that support climate resilience and address environmental challenges or opportunities.

We work in partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland, with whom we are developing an Agreement on how to restore and manage the woodland for the coming years. We also work with other partners. These include our schools, community organisations, D&G Council, the Biosphere, Glasgow University, The Crichton Carbon Centre, wildlife groups, businesses, neighbouring woodland-focussed community groups, and others as time goes on.

We feel excited, upbeat and optimistic and open to everyone in our area. Please do get involved. Over the coming years, as a community, we hope to contribute to social, environmental and economic sustainability of our beautiful village and woodlands.

As well as our general long term aims outlined above,
our immediate targets for the Balloch Wood in conjunction with FLS are:

• Have the Core Path fully restored.

• Reopen the Bottom Burn Side Path.

• Clear the Balloch Burn and tributaries of excess felling debris, retaining enough wood in the burns for necessary habitat and normal ecological function.

Keep an eye out for upcoming projects and activities – and please drop us a line with ideas of your own.
What would you like to get involved with?

Original Balloch Wood Management

Creetown Initiative Limited (CIL) had a 25-year Management Agreement with the former Forestry Enterprise, now Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) to manage the Balloch Wood on behalf of the local Community.
CIL originally signed this Agreement and then passed the project over to the Balloch Wood Community Project, later BWCV, who had done a great job over the 25 years caring for the wood and keeping Balloch Wood in a good state of repair.
With this agreement expiring, the original Members of BWCP decided last year it was time to retire from the project and to close down the original Community Venture.

A previous Community Consultation was carried out in 2021 by Mind the Gap Research and Training, Creetown. Their report can be read here.

Reports of meetings held during 2024 & 2025 are recorded on this separate page.

Balloch Community Woodland Group

Creetown, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

Maintaining local woodland for future generations together.

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