Backmuir Woods, Hamilton
Work concentrated on improving public access and woodland management for sustainability.
The woodlands at Backmuir are Ancient Semi-Natural Woodlands and a potential Local Nature Reserve. The site is owned by South Lanarkshire Council, and is within the Blantyre/ North Hamilton Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) Area. It lies next to Whitehill, a very deprived community in the SIP. The human pressures upon the site can include the dumping of rubbish, and lack of access controls has allowed cars to be dumped and burnt out. At the north end of the woods, former stone quarries made it very difficult to form a path with a gradient that suits disabled users and people with cycles or prams.
Despite the problems, the woodlands were used by the public, particularly the paths to and from employment locations. There was limited use for dog walking and children's play. The Whitehill Community Forum was integral to the development of this project, and as a consequence, the SIP offered a £15,000 contribution towards the scheme.
Management Objectives
A Woodland Management Plan was produced in April 2001, following consultation with the Forestry Commission. The primary management objective was to promote the conservation of the woodland habitat and to upgrade the public access provision, all in order to enhance the woodland as a permanent viable feature, of value to the local community. Secondary objectives were to:
- enhance pedestrian access to realise the full potential of the woodlands as a passive recreational resource
- eliminate the threat posed by invasive, non-native plants (Japanese Knotweed)
- promote high storey woodland and native tree species at a low level of intervention
- build public awareness of the woodlands as a resource and to reduce anti-social dumping and fly-tipping
- allow for edge expansion by natural regeneration to secure the woodland boundaries
- promote local community involvement and educational interpretation of the site.
Solutions and Achievements
One problem was that because of the quarries, most of the path materials 
had to be carried long distances from the south end of the woods. Greenspace implemented solutions to the various problems affecting the Woods.
- One tonne of rubbish was cleared and three access controls erected at entrances to prevent further dumping. Twelve dumped cars were also removed.
- Path surfaces (773sq.m.) were improved and 35 drains installed under the paths. 390sq.m. of new path were constructed
- Management of the woodland (11.6ha.) and pruning of the trees along the path improved security (6,040m).
- 295m of steel trip-rail fencing was erected at the Park/woodland boundary.
This project was implemented by a team of trainees employed by AEL Enterprises Ltd recruited mainly from the SIP Area. The team was also working on a scheme at Morgan Glen near Larkhall, and started on the Backmuir Woods site in January 2003. Thirty trainees passed through the training programme and 17 obtained part or whole qualifications.
The scheme costs (£110,000) were supported by the Community Environmental Renewal Grant, and a number of other funding sources including the European Social Fund, the Forestry Commission, New Deal, South Lanarkshire Council (Access to Jobs), Blantyre/North Hamilton SIP, and the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Greenspace Trust. There was also a possibility of obtaining funding from Lightbodies Celebration Cakes, whose site backs onto the Woods.
A number of community organisations in Whitehill were consulted about the woods. The main concerns were lack of security in the woods and the negative effects of dumping, and these were addressed. Additional measures to engage with the local public were explored with the Community Forum and the new Neighbourhood Management initiative, which was to oversee the regeneration of 200 houses on the edge of the Woods in the following 2 years.
Contact
South Lanarkshire Greenspace
Montrose House
154 Montrose Crescent
Hamilton
ML3 6LL
Telephone: 01698 455396
Email: greenspace@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
www.greenspace.org.uk/_sthlnrk_grnspc_ap.asp