View 2 Images

What was once a little known, unmanaged and unused woodland in South Lanarkshire is now a vibrant outdoor learning space and thriving habitat for protected wildlife thanks to a six-figure renewable energy fund grant. ‌

Loch Wood, a 65-acre ancient woodland on Blackwood Estate in Clydesdale, has been transformed since its 2018 purchase by the Blackwood Estate Community Association (BECA). ‌

The acquisition was made possible by a £117,000 Renewable Energy Fund (REF) grant in 2020, supported by OnPath Energy’s Kype Muir Wind Farm Fund and managed by South Lanarkshire Council. ‌

Vicki Connick, the community association’s treasurer and resident of the estate since 1989 said: “When we first took ownership, the woodland hadn’t seen any real management since the 1970s. It w

See Full Page