A SCHEME which has planted over a million trees on Scottish crofts has been extended beyond its initial five-year phase, aiming to plant two million more.
Nearly 300 crofters have created woodland with help from the Croft Woodland Project, which is a partnership between Woodland Trust Scotland, Scottish Crofting Federation, Point and Sandwick Trust, Scottish Forestry, Coigach and Assynt Living Landscapes, Argyll Small Woods Coop, Orkney Woodland Project, Shetland Amenity Trust and the Communities Housing Trust.
Woodland Trust Scotland provides specialist advisors covering areas throughout the Highlands and Islands.
Bill Ritchie, who has chaired the scheme’s advisory group in the first phase, said: “Crofters benefit from increased shelter for animals, and in some cases their homes, increased biodiversity on the croft, and some mitigation for the carbon dioxide emissions from crofting activity. It has been a win-win situation for everyone.”
Crofting is a system of small-scale food production unique to the Highlands and Islands. Designed to protect the indigenous people from exploitation by landlords in the 19th century, crofting today helps maintain communities and economic activity in remote areas.
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