| In 2004, Borders Forest Trust (BFT) and Venlaw Community Woodland (VCW) group approached Scottish Borders Council (SBC) to request a 25 year management agreement over an area of Common Good woodland at Venlaw, Peebles.
This agreement between SBC and BFT was signed on 18th April 2005. A further agreement was signed between BFT and VCW to state that VCW would manage the woodland with technical assistance from BFT.
Borders Forest Trust was established in 1996. Their aims are to protect and restore native woodlands and natural environments in the Scottish Borders for the benefit of people and wildlife. As part of its vision, the Trust works with local people to manage community woodlands. This helps to increase the conservation, recreational and educational value of their local woods.
BFT’s role within Venlaw Woodland is as a conduit between VCW and the long term management goals of the group. BFT has the resources to assist VCW in such projects as grant applications and practical woodland management.
Venlaw is the closest woodland to Peebles town centre, offering a valuable resource and providing recreational amenity for both tourists and the local community. There are formal and informal walking links beyond the Venlaw Woodland boundary.
Adjoining the woodland, to the north-west, is Castle Venlaw Hotel, which may be accessed from the main right of way track (leading northwards from Peebles to Leithen Water via Glentress Forest and Shieldgreen).
| Venlaw Community Woodland was constituted as a group entity in October 2004 and its objectives are:
To manage and conserve the Venlaw Community Woodland area to ensure its continuity as a valued woodland amenity;
To preserve public access to Venlaw Hill and the Common Good Woodland area;
To involve the community in the important task of maintaining an urban green area;
To enhance the value of the Woodland area for nature conservation.
It was agreed by BFT and VCW that the establishment of Venlaw Community Woodland would fit well within the overall vision, strategic aims and objectives of both BFT and VCW.
Woodland profile
Venlaw Wood comprises predominantly mature parkland trees, with a mixture of plantation conifers and broadleaf regeneration. The larger mature trees are mainly Beech and Oak, the latter marking the location of an old path running through the highest part of the Venlaw Wood.
Due to age and species composition the wood has five distinctive compartments. Compartments 1 to 3 are mainly mature stands with a well spaced canopy and evidence of regeneration. A lack of intermediate aged trees indicates past grazing by livestock.
Compartments 4 and 5 are more recent mixed broadleaf plantations. Due to a high percentage of shrub species the compartments form dense impenetrable woodland. Species include Hawthorn, Dog Rose, Broom, Gorse and Laurel. No formal survey has been carried out yet over the management area.
The surrounding landscape comprises residential, rough grazing, parkland pasture, conifer plantations and upland moor. The woodland shows evidence of interesting ground flora, specimen oaks (Quercus robur) and beech (Fagus sylvatica).
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